Journeys
by Chuk49
Summary: This story starts where the TV show ended, ignoring TATV
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Star trek is the property of Paramount – I am just borrowing it for a time.**

 **I do want to say I have never read any of the post Star Trek novels or really looked into how the Romulan War has been portrayed. This is my idea and interpretation. Hope it can still be enjoyable.**

T'Vir was uncomfortable and it had nothing to do with the strange chair she found herself sitting in. Never would she have ever imagined that this day would come. For over 5000 years her tribe had lived in the same valley, withstanding the conflicts constantly occurring on the rest of the planet. They had repelled all attacks and did not leave their valley to become embroiled in the constant wars. That is, until the last. All of Vulcan was affected by it. The use of nuclear weapons meant no place was safe and they had been forced to leave their valley and become involved in the carnage.

Then Surak and his teachings began to spread as even many Vulcans were repulsed by the insane violence. As his followers finally prevailed, T'Vir's tribe and others like them were faced with a choice; renounce violence and follow the teaching of Surak or leave Vulcan forever.

As leader of the tribe, it was Soron's decision, but there was never really any doubt what they would do. To bow to Surak's drivel would be do stop being what it was to be Vulcan.

So now she found herself on the bridge of a Vulcan freighter carrying a third of her people. She had been honored when Soron had chosen her to be in command of one of the three ships that would carry them to a new home. Their plan was to go to an area of space beyond where Vulcan ships had ever gone. Their destination was a point in space where they would rendezvous and then find a new planet to settle. With their ship capable of Warp 2, they estimated it would take a year to reach their destination. In addition to her tribe, there were fifteen other ships in the armada.

She looked over to where Kless sat at the Mate's station. She knew he was angered at the situation and at her. She understood, after all it was his ship. But Soron had insisted that a member of the tribe be in command. Of course, in practice, she knew nothing of the workings of a Warp ship and would have to rely on him for anything concerned with its operation. She even agreed he could work directly with the crew without her input, when dealing with matters associated with the ship. But, she still had the final say and could countermand any of his commands. He also knew that her tribe was known for its viciousness and fighting prowess.

Suddenly she heard her name and realized Kless had been trying to get her attention. Slightly embarrassed at being caught daydreaming, she snapped, "What is it?"

"We have been cleared to depart."

"Very well, do what you need to do." Then as an afterthought, "Put Vulcan on the viewscreen."

"Yes Mistress", he said with just a slight edge of rebellion in his voice.

Letting it slide, she looked up as Vulcan appeared on the screen. She felt a small tinge of sadness followed by anger at those that had caused this to happen. She vowed that someday she or her descendants would return and reclaim what was theirs.

Kless was giving orders and suddenly she felt the ship began to move, slowly moving out of orbit, as Vulcan began to recede in the distance. Then the Warp engines engaged and Vulcan disappeared.

After a couple of months, the novelty of space travel had worn off and she had settled into a routine. She and Kless had managed to achieve a working truce and spent time in discussions, her natural curiosity driving her to learn about the ship and the star systems they encountered.

During one of the discussions. Kless mentioned that they were passing a solar system that had a Class M planet. When T'Vir inquired what the planet was called she was told that it was simply SS1987-3. She then asked if the inhabitable planet had sentient life on it. She was informed no had visited the planet for some time, and that at that time the inhabitants were very backward and primitive.

Now her curiosity piqued, she asked, "What do the inhabitants call the planet?"

Kless answered, "No one knows. They have not reached even radio communication and no one has investigated further."

"I want to see it."

Kless, looking surprised, "Why?"

"To check out these savages."

"For what possible reason?"

"Because no one else has."

"It will take us three weeks off course. What can a primitive culture offer of interest?"

"If nothing else, we can replenish our fresh food. Surely something will be edible."

Kless continued to argue but T'Vir was adamant. Not wishing to make a stand for such a trivial matter, Kless acceded to her request.

Just over a week later, they were in orbit around the planet. From there they were able to determine that most of the population was concentrated in a small area of the planet. They decided to land on the other side. The ship had three large shuttles, each capable of carrying twenty individuals at one time. Selecting a landing party, T'Vir descended toward a desert area around the planet from the population centers.

After setting up a base camp. T'Vir ordered the other shuttles to start bringing down half of the rest of the tribe. She then took five men and when it was night on the other side of the planet, flew a reconnaissance mission. After repeating the flights over the next few nights, they determined that the center of a civilization was a city in a land mass in the shape of a boot.

A week after they had first come down, T'Vir started to rotate tribe members so everyone would have a chance on the planet, but kept a significant amount aboard the ship as a cautionary matter, even though there didn't appear to be anything to fear on the planet.

Although Kless suggested they now continue their journey, T'Vir's curiosity had not been satisfied. She finally decided to kidnap a member of the society they had been observing, to learn what they could and also be able to learn their language.

They ended up capturing someone traveling on foot along the main road.

After bringing the man back to their camp, they attempted to interrogate him. However, he was so frightened that it was difficult to learn much. But just by letting him rant, they were able to pick up much of his language.

What they did learn was that the inhabitants apparently called their planet Earth. That they were called humans, and the governing power was called the Roman Empire. After a few days of listening to his pathetic cries, T'Vir had enough and had him shot.

Although T'Vir still would have liked to try again to learn more, she reluctantly agreed it was time to leave.

While two of the Shuttles were bringing the tribes and the supplies they had acquired back to the ship, T'Vir took the other shuttle alone for one last look. She had left the shuttle and was on a hill overlooking Rome itself, when she suddenly heard a noise behind her. Before she could fully turn, she was struck on the head by the side of a sword. The blow might have killed a human or at least rendered them unconscious for some time, but she was only badly dazed.

But before she could do anything, her attacker, a Roman soldier, had put his weight on her. In her dazed condition, she was too weak to fight him. Dimly hearing him say something about a "Barbarian wench," she suddenly felt her clothes being torn. Unable to stop him, she suffered the indignity of being raped.

Afterwards, the soldier stepped back to get dressed, overestimating how long she would be knocked out. Recovering her strength, she leapt to her feet, and before the amazed soldier could react, grabbed his sword and with one swing, made sure he would never rape anyone again. Then, as he lay on his back, screaming in pain and bleeding to death, she drove the sword so hard into his chest, that the hilt rested against it.

Gathering her clothes about her, and taking the sword with her, she made it back to the shuttle and traveled straight to the ship, where she roused the ship doctor. Telling him what happened, she submitted to an examination. She was not harmed but was stunned to hear that she was pregnant.

The doctor said it would take about a month to see what problems they would face in the pregnancy and whether the baby would be able to survive.

Neither of them considered the possibility of ending the pregnancy. It is the great paradox of Vulcan that a race so involved in war and conflict placed such high value on a child. Perhaps it was due to the long mating cycle and the harshness of Vulcan that each new life was considered sacred.

When she told Kless, he informed her it would cause a larger dilemma than she realized. He told her it was very dangerous for someone past the first trimester to travel at warp. Since they weren't sure that they would find a place to stay after three months in space, and feeling it would be too dangerous to travel at impulse, they decided to remain where they were.

After the month had passed, the doctor discovered that Vulcan genes were apparently dominant and the baby was physically Vulcan. So, there would be no problems with the fact that humans were carbon based while Vulcans were iron. She should have no problem taking it to term.

They established a permanent camp and brought everyone down, leaving a skeleton crew on the ship. Since they were going to be there for a long time, T'Vir decided she would proceed with her examination of Earth's society. After a couple more abductions, they had learned slightly more about the Empire, and more of its language, but both individuals were still obviously very low in the Roman hierarchy.

Their fourth abduction, however, hit the jackpot, a member of the Roman Senate. Once he understood what had happened, he accepted his fate. As it turned out, he was interested in science, and although of course, he had a simplistic view of the universe, his curiosity led him to decide to make the best of his situation and observe what none of his species would see for centuries.

He also quickly realized that there was no danger of revealing whatever they wanted to know about the Empire because they could easily destroy it without his help, if that was their intent.

As the months went by, T'Vir developed some appreciation of the Senator. Although he was an ignorant savage, she admired his curiosity and the stoic acceptance of his fate. She even allowed him to see the ship and take a quick voyage at warp. But that did not mean that she had any intention of letting him live. She was aware of the danger of interfering in other cultures and didn't want to risk more than they already had.

As the time for the birth of the baby approached, both she and the Senator knew his time was limited. He had only one request. To live long enough to see the baby, a merging of their two species. T'Vir granted it.

As T'Vir went into labor; down on the planet, the wife of the soldier she killed was also giving birth, having been impregnated by her husband earlier that same night. Even if they had known of the other, they could never have imagined that their children's descendants would someday lead opposing forces in a struggle for the future of the Galaxy.

After the baby was born, T'Vir kept her promise and let the Senator hold him. Then, she ran him through with her captured Roman sword. They buried him near where they had abducted him.

With the baby born, they quickly resumed their journey. Everyone had come to agree that since the baby was for all intent and purposes, Vulcan, they would keep what had happened a secret.

After they had been traveling for about three months, Kless visited T'Vir in her cabin.

"What is it, Kless?"

"I would like to offer myself as the father of the baby and your mate."

Stunned, T'Vir asked, "Why would you wish to do so? We have not always been on the best of terms."

"I have come to admire your curiosity and courage. I admit to an attraction for you."

"Perhaps I do not find you overly repugnant as well."

They were married by a priest of the tribe, but did not bond, as they did not want to risk the onset of Pon Farr and the possibility of another pregnancy.

Finally, just over two years from the time they left Vulcan, they arrived at the rendezvous point. Although they had little hope that anyone would still look for them, they decided to remain for a couple of weeks before they went in search for a home of their own.

To their utter surprise, after waiting a week, they were contacted by a Vulcan vessel. It was one of the other freighters that had carried another third of their tribe. Apparently, they had continued to check every month in the hope the rest of their tribe would be found.

Following the other ship, they arrived at their new home, New Vulcan. T'Vir and the others found that little had changed. The planet was broken up into areas controlled by Warlords, constantly at war. At least her tribe had found a safe place again, and since there were no nuclear weapons, were able to defend their land. But T'Vir now was bothered by the waste. She hoped they would be united with a common goal, to reclaim their heritage.

Suddenly, she had an epiphany. They could apply the structure and the order of the Roman Empire. Instead of conquering other lands, they could work to conquer other planets, to build a true Empire. As the members of her tribe left for their new home, T'Vir managed to convince a core of her followers to join her to attempt to create some sort of order.

She had little luck for many years. Although she gained more followers and even was able to convince a few Warlords of the value of her ideas, they were in the end only interested in helping themselves.

But then, almost twenty years after she returned, one of her disciples, Seron, was able to conquer a large amount of New Vulcan. He immediately made the extraordinary move of offering the Warlords he had conquered a place in his new government as an equivalent of the Roman Senate, at the same time keeping the ultimate power to himself.

Facing death or enslavement, the Warlords agreed. Seron declared himself Praetor, Ruler of New Vulcan. Soon, he had managed to conquer the entire planet. He then structured his followers after the Roman Empire, including positions of Tribune and Centurion. He then renamed New Vulcan Romulus after one of the founders of Rome.

After totally consolidating his power, he ordered the creation of a new language. Then he announced his plans for the building of a great fleet to conquer other worlds and form a true empire.

Eventually, he carried out T'Vir's vision by beginning the expansion of the Romulan Empire. The first conquest was a planet in the same Solar System. After the conquest, he renamed the planet Remus and the people Remans.

T'Vir herself turned down any positions of power and returned with Kless and her son to rejoin her tribe.

The doctor aboard the freighter had told her that some human characteristics could appear in later generations. This was confirmed when her first grandchild was born with green eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I still own nothing**

 **I hope you will stick with me for these first three chapters. I want to set up some background. Will get to Enterprise in chapter four and hopefully chapters will get longer as well.**

King Ssoud of Bovaria was paranoid. But that was not a problem because all of his people were too. In fact, studies showed that on all planets where reptiles became the dominant species, they all showed some form of paranoia, with the exception of course of the Singing Lizards of Corona 5. The Bovarians were more snake-like than lizards. They had a slimy skin rather than scales.

Actually, it would appear that they had very little reason to be paranoid. They lived on a beautiful planet with huge amounts of rich minerals and energy supplies. They were highly intelligent and had not had a war for centuries.

They had not yet achieved space travel and were normally not very adventurous. Little did they know that their world was about to change drastically and they would soon have something to be paranoid about. The change came in the form of a Tredian ship bringing Doorn Hadek to Bovaria.

The Tredians were like the Ferengi in that business and commerce were their passion. But where the goal of the Ferengi was profit, the Tredians objective was the win-win situation. Like the Ferengi they were willing to visit pre-warp societies, in fact, bringing races into the warp community was one of their favorite projects.

Their shuttle landed in the main square in front of the King's residence and the Bovarians were faced with the same truth as so many races before them, they were not alone. As they were an intelligent and peaceful people, they greeted the visitors with courtesy.

Although Doorn Hadek showed respect and friendship as well, he brought two pieces of information that drove the Bovarian paranoia to a new high. First, that mammals were the dominant species on the overwhelming number of planets.

Second, that an aggressive, expanding Empire was only six months away at warp 7. Doorn told them that probably the only reason they had not been discovered already was that they were the only Solar System in a large area and the Romulan Empire had expanded in a different direction.

He also informed them they had the two main ingredients for him to make them capable of warp travel; Dilithium for the power and valuable minerals to pay for the needed expertise and equipment for Doorn to help them.

In the next few months, Doorn realized he had found the mother lode. The Bovarian paranoia drove them to decide that their only hope was to be able to build a fleet to protect themselves from the hostile universe they now knew confronted them.

In an amazingly short time, they changed their planet to a ship building power house and their high intelligence enabled them to absorb the science involved in an also remarkably short time.

When Doorn finally left over two years later a very rich man, they were well on their way to becoming a member of the warp community. Dedicating all their energies and resources to the effort, they accomplished the unbelievable task of building a fleet of four hundred starships in the next forty years.

So, while Earth had only launched _Enterprise_ only a few years before, the Bovarians launched their fleet toward the edges of the Romulan Empire. They had decided they would not wait for the Empire to reach them.

Unknown to the Bovarians, their timing could not have been more perfect. The Romulan Empire was at a vulnerable point. Their constant expansion had left them overextended and in a state of having to stop conquests in order to consolidate what they had. Their last conquest had also proven to be a constant source of problems. They had actually conquered a mini Empire of seven planets called the Cordian Commonwealth, who had a warp fleet of their own. Even though the Romulans had prevailed, the planets continued to resist and the Empire was forced to use a larger than normal part of their fleet to maintain control.

Thus, when the Bovarian fleet entered the outer edges of the Empire, they encountered little resistance. As they moved deeper into the Empire, they were actually setting off rebellions in the planets they passed as they drove the scattered Romulan fleets before them. Soon, they were nearing the Core of the Empire and endangering Romulus itself.

As the Praetor scrambled to recall outlying fleets to come to his aid, he desperately sent his personal fleet of two hundred ships in an attempt to slow down the invading fleet.

Fortunately for the Empire, the fleet was led by a superb commander, a Tribune named Venter. His main talent was the use of their cloaking ability. Vastly outnumbered, he confused and frustrated the commanders of the Bovarian fleet, causing damage while largely avoiding direct confrontation.

His stalling tactics provided the Empire time and other fleets soon joined the fray. The Bovarians were finally turned back.

Although the Romulans were able to drive the Bovarians out, they were unable to deal a knockout blow and the Bovarian fleet was left largely intact. Also, the Empire's internal problems were now worse as the Bovarians had given many planets the incentive to resist as the Romulan presence was driven away. The Praetor was confronted with the task of continuing to consolidate his control and also be sure he would be able to repel invasions in the future. In any case, they were certainly not able to spare the ships to pursue the Bovarians.

When the Bovarians returned home and told their story, it was decided that they still needed to confront the Romulans in some way. They were afraid if they did nothing, the Romulans would retaliate by attacking Bovaria. They decided they would conduct a guerilla type war, hitting at vulnerable points in the outer edges of the Empire, forcing the Romulans to use their forces to maintain order. They kept two hundred of their ships at home for protection and sent the others back to Romulus.

The Bovarian plan was in a sense successful as the huge Empire was unable to protect all its vulnerable points. On the other hand, it was hardly more than a source of irritation to the Romulans. Then the Bovarians came in contact with the Cordians. Suddenly, they had a way to make a real impact. Joining with the Cordians, they were able to disrupt a large part of the Western District of the Empire. The Cordians threatened to become the first conquests of the Empire to break away. The Praetor could not allow that to happen.

 **A/N Thanks for your input. I really appreciate your opinions. I also want to thank all those who are with me so far.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Still don't own anything.**

 **Thank you to all those that are hanging with me. Will finally see what has been happening with Enterprise and its crew next chapter.**

 **A special thanks to aria1210 and einzel for their reviews. I really do read and appreciate them.**

Tribune Vandor was bored. He loved the power that came with his rank, but hated to keep up with the paper work that was involved. As usual, he had just let it go, but this time it had come to the attention of the Praetor himself. He had been ordered to catch up. To that end, he had closed himself up in his home and told his servant that he wanted to see no one.

So here he was, making entries into his computer when there were so many things he could be doing. He could be looking for another conquest at the Palace, although to be honest, there weren't a lot of women there that had not already fallen to his charms.

Vandor was a strikingly handsome man, taller than most Romulans. It was also well known around the city that he was, let's say, better endowed than most Romulans. But his most striking feature was his green eyes.

He had grown up with his tribe in a valley on Romulus. The valley had been the home of their tribe all the way back to the arrival on what was then New Vulcan. Growing up, he was inseparable from his best friend Solon. Both of them became well versed in the martial arts, but Solon quickly outstripped him.

All citizens were expected to join public service at age seventy, either serving in the military or the Romulan government in some capacity.

But when he was only fifty, Solon left to compete in Martial Arts contests taking place in the capital city. He soon showed he was head and shoulders above the greatest fighters of Romulus. His fame however brought him enemies as many high-ranking families had shared the martial arts supremacy for many years.

Finally, word came back to the tribe that Solon was dead. Believing that Solon had been murdered, Vandor left for Romulus. But his investigation proved fruitless. Several witnesses had seen Solon fall alone into the great lake that surrounded part of the city of Romulus. His body was never found.

About a week after telling the individuals he had been working with in his investigation that he was planning to return to his tribe, he suddenly changed his mind and instead began a path to power in the Romulan Hierarchy. There was no doubt he was highly intelligent and ruthless but he also seemed to have the favor of the Elements. Whenever anyone rose to oppose him, something unforeseen seemed to happen to them. Of course, he was suspected, but nothing was ever proven and he always had an airtight alibi.

In only a few years, he rose to the position of Centurion and was poised to become a Tribune. But then a member of the Senate took it upon himself to stop his promotion. Cognizant of what had happened to others that had blocked Vandor's path, the Senator took elaborate precautions to protect himself. Always traveling with armed guards and establishing residence on the tenth floor of a building with no access to its only windows and armed guards at the only entrance.

So, when he was found dead in his locked room, stabbed with his own dagger, the authorities had no choice but to declare it a suicide. Vandor soon became a Romulan Tribune.

Vandor had been working steadily for about three hours when he was interrupted by his servant Krant.

Vandor looked up crossly, "What is it Krant, I told you I didn't want to be disturbed."

"Sorry, Sir, but Lord Santor is here to see you."

Vandor wondered what that idiot wanted. For some reason Santor had decided that Vandor was his friend. Santor had inherited wealth and position and hung around the palace, gathering and spreading gossip. The first time he approached Vandor, his first inclination was to brush him off but decided to listen. It turned out the information was useful. So, Vandor had decided to let Santor think he was his friend, and had gathered some other useful information, albeit having to put up with him and listen to a lot of gibberish.

Knowing he should send him away and get back to work, he decided he better see what he wanted. Also, it gave him an excuse to take a break.

Before he could even tell Krant to let him in, Santor pushed by Krant into the room. Santor was a rare being, an obese Romulan. Right now, he was sweating like a stuck pig; like he had run all the way from the Palace. Vandor realized he was having trouble getting his breath and helped him into a chair, calling for Krant to bring some Brandy. Under his breath he added, "The cheap stuff."

Krant quickly returned and after gulping down a couple of glasses, Santor seemed to recover.

"Well, Santor, what was so important that you apparently practically killed yourself bringing it to me?"

After a couple more gasps, getting his breath, he got out, "The Praetor has sent Venter and his personal fleet to put down the Cordian uprising."

Vandor was stunned. He knew the Cordian situation had gotten worse, but it must have reached dire circumstances for the Praetor to risk sending his personal fleet. It had long been rumored that there were those who coveted his throne. With the invasion of the Bovarians and the constant uprisings, the Praetor had many enemies. Two possibilities were Tribunes Bardon and Seltar, who both had personal fleets of up to one-hundred ships and were located near the city.

"Isn't he afraid that Bardon or Seltar will take advantage of the situation?"

"Apparently, Venter informed them that if they did anything, he would return and destroy their fleets."

Suddenly, Vandor had an epiphany that scared him to the core, but also excited him beyond belief. Making a fateful decision, he suddenly rose, and crossing to his desk, took out a dagger. Returning to a stunned Santor, he informed him, "I need you to take a message to Lord Condor."

His eyes widening at the sight of the dagger, Santor stammered, "Lord Condor?"

Lord Condor led the only other personal fleet that was in near vicinity to the capital. The Praetor had not bothered to have Venter contact him because everyone knew he was a devout coward and would never consider taking any chances. His only really interest in his fleet was that it fed his ego. His real interest in life was his young and beautiful wife Gerda. Vandor had thought of trying to seduce her on several occasions, but it would have broken one of his two reasons for leaving married women alone. He admired their husband or figured he might need them someday. In this case it was clearly the latter.

Some time ago, he had obtained some information that would bring down the wrath of the Praetor on Lord Condor if it became known. Vandor had saved it waiting for the right moment. Now was the time to strike. Going to his desk, he quickly composed a note that told Lord Condor what information he possessed and that he needed to come with Santor to the Blue Bell Bar that night at seven o'clock alone.

Putting it in an envelope and sealing it with his personal seal, he returned to an increasingly stunned and scared Santor.

"I want you to take this to Lord Condor at once. You will not look at its contents. When he receives it, you will wait with him and come with him to the Blue Bell at seven o'clock tonight. You will not take any detours or tell anyone. Do you understand?"

Santor gulped and answered, "Yes, Tribune."

But Vandor could see his mind was working fast and Vandor realized he might go to the authorities figuring they would protect him. Besides, he knew how curious Santor could be and might risk it to see what is in the envelope. With everything on the line, he decided he needed to use all weapons he had available.

"I hope you are not thinking of betraying me. Because even if you succeed in stopping me from harming you, I have a friend who will avenge me."

Vandor saw Santor was a little skeptical and was gaining courage. Santor asked, "What friend?"

Vandor smiled wickedly and said, "Solon."

Santor turned white as a sheet. "But Solon is dead."

"That's what he wanted everyone to think. Think about it, who do you think did all the dirty work that enabled me to become Tribune? Who could be the only man who could have killed the Senator in his hideout?"

"But the Senator committed suicide."

"Do you really believe that? That he died just when I needed him to?"

Seeing he was not completely convinced, Vandor went on, "Do you really want to take the chance I am lying? Take the chance that someone can stop him? In revenge, Solon will kill you slowly."

Looking at Santor, Vandor decided he had convinced him. In any case, he had to take the risk. Telling him not to tell Condor anything, but just give him the envelope, he ushered Santor out the door.

Then moving to his computer, he typed an encrypted message and sent it out in a protected frequency. Then shaking his head at the audacity of what he was doing, he had Krant bring him the good Brandy.

About an hour later, he was back at work, having decided it would help him pass the time, when he heard a voice behind him. "Good evening, Tribune."

In spite of himself he jumped in surprise. Then he turned to see a man dressed all in black. Solon was imposing, with the most searing black eyes Vandor had ever seen. Although he knew Solon was his age, he seemed ageless. Vandor saw no weapon but knew a sword and a disrupter were beneath the coat.

"Don't you ever use a door?"

"I have to keep in practice. I assume you have sent for me after hearing about Venter."

Vandor should have been surprised, but he knew that Solon had his own means of obtaining information. He had twenty loyal followers that were almost as deadly as he was, some of whom had positions that gave them access to information.

Solon went on. "Are you really contemplating what I think you are? Are you planning to attempt to become Praetor?"

"Why not, is this not something we have discussed? That if the time ever came, we would seize it?"

"I assume you are planning to use that bit of information that you have been saving for Lord Condor? Do you want me to deliver it?"

"No, I have sent that idiot Santor to deliver it and bring Condor to the Blue Bell tonight."

"Was that wise? How do you know he won't betray you?"

"He doesn't know what I am up to, and I told him you were alive to avenge me."

"I see. I assume he does not have long to live."

"No, as soon as he drops Condor off, he needs to meet with an accident."

"I am not sure I agree with you taking the chance, but I guess it is too late now."

"I know it was a risk, but felt it was worth it to get this underway. Also, this way, Condor will have no inkling of what I need him for."

"Have you forgotten about Venter? You know Lord Condor's fleet would have no chance against him even if Condor had the courage to face him?"

"That is the variable I cannot control, but I believe I have an offer for Venter that he will not refuse, especially, as by the time I talk to him, the Praetor will be dead and I will be in control."

Then he continued, "Of course, I will need you to get your men ready. I plan to strike in two nights. I know it is cutting it tight, but the longer we wait, the more chance it will all fall apart. The fact that it is so risky and unexpected is our greatest chance for success."

He then continued, "Now, here is how we will proceed…"

Vandor sat in a private back room at the Blue Bell awaiting a little anxiously for Santor and Condor. But then just a little before seven, the proprietor ushered them to the back room. Santor looked scared, but relieved that he had finished his task. Vandor told Condor to sit down then told Santor to go, but not to say a word to anyone.

After he left, Lord Condor turned to Vandor, "How did you find out about this?"

"Now, that really doesn't matter, does it? The fact that I know it should be what you are concerned about."

"I suppose your right. What do you want?"

Just then there was a commotion outside. The proprietor stuck his head in. There's been an accident. Lord Santor's been killed."

Condor swung his head and stared at Vandor, who managed to look shocked. Then he told the proprietor, "That is shocking news, but Lord Condor and I have important business to conduct, please do not disturb us again."

Looking a little surprised, the proprietor did quickly back out. Vandor then got up and locked the door.

Turning to Condor, who was looking suspiciously at him, he looked him in the eye and said, "I guess Solon did his job."

Condor's eyes widened then filled with fear. "Solon? He's dead."

Then a voice behind him said, "No, Lord Condor, I am quite alive."

Condor swung his head around, and upon seeing Solon standing there, promptly fainted.

When Condor awakened, he saw Solon and Vandor sitting at the table, apparently calmly waiting for him to recover.

Gesturing him to a seat, which he groggily made it to, while staring as Solon in fear and disbelief.

Vandor spoke up, "Before all the interruptions, I believe you asked what I wanted. The answer is quite simple, I need you to help me become the new Praetor."

Condor just stared at him in disbelief, "You must be joking or mad."

"I am not joking and it may be that I am mad, but I am also serious."

"What makes you think I will help you?"

"If you don't, you will be the second one to have an accident. Then, I will use this information to see that your pretty wife is left out in the cold. In fact, who knows, the Praetor may be so angry that he may dispose of her as well."

"What do you expect me to do? How can you possibly make this work? If you are counting on me to protect you from Venter, you are fooling yourself."

"No, in fact, I plan on using Venter as a threat to keep you from double crossing me after the Praetor is dead. All I need from you is to provide a show of force after I have made myself Praetor. To impress the Senate and to dissuade Seltar and Bardon from interfering."

"If I fail to kill the Praetor, you should have a chance of coming out of this unscathed. But if you try to stop me or report me to the Praetor, either I or Solon will see to it that you and your wife suffer a very painful death. On the other hand, if I am successful, you will become the head of the personal fleet of the Praetor and all the glory and power that comes with it."

Condor shook his head, "I can't believe I am asking this, but exactly what do you wish me to do?"

"Two nights from now, after the Praetor is dead and I am in control of the palace, I will send you a message. You will then deploy sailors to surround the Senate building and move your fleet into the skies over the city. That's all you are required to do. As I said, if I fail, I will be dead, and you will have not done anything. If Solon has not died with me, he will give you his word now he will not retaliate or use the information I possess against you."

Indicating to Solon he should speak, Solon said, "I hereby give you my word that if our mission fails, I will take no action against you and never reveal the damning information." But then he stared at Condor, "But if you betray us, I give you my word, you and your wife will beg to die."

The next day, Vandor carried out the next step of his plan. Solon, who was almost impossible to shock, could not believe that Vandor had actually had intercourse with the Praetor's wife in the Praetor's own bed. In doing so, he had found that Glia had her own secret entrance in and out of the palace, manned by a guard loyal to her. That would be the entry point for Solon and his men.

He also knew that the Praetor was holding long range meetings with his commanders in the field each night, returning to his room late.

Using all his charm, he persuaded Glia to allow him to visit her the next night. Her need for danger and excitement made her an easy target.

That night and the next day were filled with tension that something would go wrong, but then it was time to go.

Glia's guard let Vandor into the palace through the secret door a little after six o'clock. He quickly made his way to the Praetor's bedroom. He was seen once by a servant, but as he was a regular visitor to the Palace, it caused no problems.

Once inside the bedroom as Glia approached him, he quickly knocked her unconscious, gagged her, and tied her to the chair in the room.

He then settled down to wait for the Praetor. At ten o'clock, the Praetor entered the soundproof room. Vandor quickly shut and locked the door behind him. Then, with the Praetor staring in shock at him, he offered the Praetor a sword.

"What is going on? What are you doing here?"

"I would think that is self-explanatory, I am going to kill you."

"What, why?

"To claim your throne for myself."

'You must be mad, Venter will never stand for this."

"Let me worry about that, now defend yourself or I will run you through."

Vandor had decided it would be better if he could tell the Senate and others that he had fought with the Praetor and killed him rather than just slaughtering him. But in effect, it was the same, the aging Praetor was no match for him and it was over quickly.

He then turned his attention to Glia who was staring at him through wide frightened eyes, struggling to free herself. He walked over to her and touching her cheek said, "I don't want you to have to live with your betrayal," and slit her throat.

He then carefully opened the door and seeing no one, went down to the secret entrance and when the Guard turned his back, disposed of him as well.

He then opened the door and let Solon and his men into the palace. They made quick work of the guards that were on duty and then slaughtered the rest of the Praetorian Guards in their beds.

Vandor then contacted Lord Condor who deployed his fleet in orbit over the city and deployed one-hundred armed soldiers to greet the Senators at the Senate Chambers the next morning.

Meanwhile, Vandor then made the call that would decide how long his reign would last.

In spite of himself Vandor had to smile at the look on Venter's face when he answered the call on the Praetor's line.

"What? Vandor? What's going on?"

"The Praetor and his wife are dead, I have taken command of the Palace."

Venter's eyes narrowed, "I don't know what you think you are up to, Vandor, but it will be over as soon as I can get there."

"Listen to me, Venter. The Praetor is dead, nothing you can do will change that. You are on an important mission. At least give me a chance to make you a proposition."

"What sort of a proposition?"

"How would you like to be Governor General of the Western District? I understand the headquarters are a mansion on Tasses 1."

Seeing him not saying no immediately, he continued, "I know your wife hates the city and palace life. This would be a chance for you to be together away from the intrigue."

Venter paused. It was true he and his wife hated the machinations and gossip of Palace life. He also knew his men would much prefer being on patrol then being the ornamental fleet of the Praetor. Also, in reality, he had never been a great fan of the previous Praetor. Perhaps some young blood is what the Empire needed. But then he had another concern. What fleet commander had betrayed the Praetor? He knew Vandor would have never done this without a fleet to back him.

"Who betrayed the Praetor? Whose fleet is backing you? Is it Seltar, Bardon, both?

Vandor hesitated for a moment, he had known this would be a problem. "Actually, it is Lord Condor's fleet."

Venter was stunned. That coward. What would make him take such a chance?

"That idiot! I will not allow the Praetor's personal fleet to be commanded by such a man."

Vandor seemed unperturbed by his outburst. "Do you know Captain Ruddick?"

Venter, surprised, answered, "Yes, I do. He is Lord Condor's second in command. A good soldier."

"What if I were to tell you that in a few days, he will be in command of the fleet."

"I see. That does make a difference." Then, he had another terrible thought, knowing Vandor's reputation. "Vandor, answer this truthfully, did you ever sleep with my wife?"

Vandor looked directly into the screen and said, "I have one basic rule, I never sleep with the woman of a man I admire greatly or one that I might need in the future. You qualify on both points." Then he smirked, "Besides, you know she would tear off my balls if I tried."

Venter smiled for the first time, "She would at that."

He then continued, "All right, Vandor, I accept your offer. Assuming of course you actually manage to pull this off."

Vandor smiled and said, "Then I have a small favor I need you to do."

The next day, the Romulan Senate was confronted with some inconvenient truths. The Senate chamber was surrounded by one-hundred armed men, there to 'Protect them'. There was a powerful fleet orbiting overhead. The Praetor was dead and the palace controlled by his killer. Several of them remembered what had happened to another Senator that had crossed Vandor. The final blow was when they were contacted by Tribune Venter that he supported the new Praetor.

The Romulan Senate confirmed Tribune Vandor as the new Praetor of the Romulan Empire with a unanimous vote.

Three days later, Vandor received a message form Lord Condor, requesting his presence aboard his flagship to discuss matters of mutual interest to them both. He also suggested that it would be best if he came alone.

Solon smirked and said, "Not very subtle, is he?"

Vandor answered, "From his point of view, he is holding all the cards. He figures I need him much more that he needs me. I am sure he has a long list of demands. Fortunately, he is, of course, mistaken."

Vandor arrived aboard the flagship and was taken to Lord Condor's quarters where he was greeted by Condor and Ruddick, both conspicuously armed.

"Ah, Vandor. So good of you to honor us with your presence. I just have a few items that I would like to discuss. Most of them relate to a delegation of powers and how to handle the disposition of tributes and other things of value."

Vandor, ignoring what he said, got right to the point, "My dear, Lord Condor, did you know that it was Captain Ruddick here who gave me the information that I used against you? Did you also know that he and your child bride are in love with each other?"

Condor could do nothing but stare, his mouth hanging open. Then recovering, he flew into a rage and drew the disruptor from his belt. But Ruddick was ready and shot and killed him. He then reported to the sailors of the fleet that Lord Condor had tried to kill the Praetor and he had to shoot him in self-defense. Since Lord Condor had little or no respect among his men, there was very little reaction.

Six months Later, Vandor stood by the parapet of the palace, looking out over the city as the sun was setting.

Venter had quickly dealt with the Bovarians, easily driving them from his District. Then with permission from Vandor, he had given the Cordians autonomy to run their own affairs as long as they swore fealty to the Empire and paid their tributes on time. He and his wife had settled comfortably into their new life.

All of the Empire had stated their loyalty to the new Praetor. In reality, most commanders, citizens and other government officials in the field rarely visited Romulus or had not ever been there, and really had little interest in who was Praetor.

Newly promoted Tribune Ruddick had taken command of the Praetor's Personal Fleet and married Lord Condor's ex-wife. Vandor himself had presided at the wedding.

Suddenly, he felt Solon, First Citizen of the Romulan Empire, come up beside him. Smiling at his old friend, he turned back to the Sunset.

With a satisfied smile, he thought to himself. 'The Empire is ours.'


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Still not mine**

Hoshi Sato was perturbed. She had been waiting twenty minutes in the mess hall for Travis to arrive. Of, course, if she were honest with herself, she had no reason to complain, since it was still fifteen minutes before the time they had agreed to meet. But she figured if she had been unable to sleep looking forward to their trip today, then he should not have been able to sleep either.

As she waited, her thoughts went back over recent events. It was four months since Trip and T'Pol buried baby Elizabeth. All of the planets at the conference were represented and President Samuels and Admiral Gardner had also attended. After the ceremony, T'Pol had left for the Vulcan Compound saying she needed to meditate. Not willing to let Trip be alone, the Captain, the rest of the bridge crew, and Phlox had persuaded him to accompany them to a quiet bar. They all realized it had been a long time since they had socialized together. It did seem to be good for Trip.

Unfortunately, it turned out the funeral was about the last thing the delegates did together. Although the Captain's speech had stopped the Conference from breaking up immediately, the delegates were soon contacted by their governments, who were greatly disturbed by the Terra Prime confrontation. Within a couple of weeks, all the delegates were called home for 'consultations' and it was apparent they did not plan to return.

In an effort to salvage some momentum from the Conference, President Samuels decided to concentrate on the 'Core Four', that is, Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and The Teller. To that end, he ordered Captain Archer and _Enterprise_ to engage in a sort of 'Shuttle Diplomacy'. They were to travel to the other three planets and, using Archer's contacts such as Shran and Gral, to try to talk to their governments, to discuss the opening of new talks between the four planets.

T'Pol had returned to the ship, but announced she would spend her time not on duty meditating in her cabin. She thus set herself away from the rest of the crew, including Trip. The only silver lining was that the rest of crew made a special effort to spend more time together. Everyone was especially gratified to see the Captain and Trip get back together similar to the way they were when the mission started.

As for the mission itself, the results were a mixed bag. Although Archer was able to speak with those at the highest level on each planet, he could not get anyone to agree to a resumption of talks. But, on the other hand, no one dismissed them as not being a possibility in the future.

They had returned to Earth two weeks before to find significant decisions had been made. It was determined that _Enterprise_ would be almost completely redone. That included being fitted with the new Earth-built Warp 7 engines. All scanners and weapons would be upgraded thanks to help from the Vulcans. They would even have some Shield capability due to the Andorians.

Then she and Travis, in an action that Captain Archer stated was long overdue, had been promoted to Lieutenant, while Malcom was promoted to Lieutenant Commander.

The rebuild would take approximately seven months. Since the first two months would be spent tearing _Enterprise_ apart, it was determined that the entire crew, with one exception, would receive sixty days of leave. The sole exception was Captain Archer, who, as Admiral Gardner put it, 'Was needed for a special operation'. In fact, the Captain had already headed down to Earth early that morning for a later meeting with the Admiral. Phlox had decided he would take advantage of the opportunity to return to Denobula for at least four months since Sickbay would not be drastically changed.

Hoshi had been shocked when Travis had approached her and said that since his mother and brother would not be able to get back to Earth until toward the end of his leave, he had decided to take a walking tour of the Alps. He then asked if she would like to accompany him. She and Travis had grown closer during their time in the Expanse and she often found herself wondering as to what their 'relationship' was or could be.

Her musings were interrupted when Travis came through the door with Malcom right behind him. Smiling, Travis gave her a wave, that she answered to. Then they got food and came to the table.

Malcom spoke first, "So, when are you two heading out?"

Travis answered, "Our shuttle for the Alps leaves at ten o'clock. We plan to take the next shuttle down."

Hoshi wasn't sure what to say to Malcolm. He was going home for leave because his father was dying. She knew things were confused between them. She didn't fully understand why, but knew his father had not been thrilled when he joined Starfleet. But Malcom had also said his father had been proud of his part in saving the Earth. She spoke up, "How about you, Malcolm?"

"I'll be joining you in the shuttle. I plan to leave for England about nine-thirty."

Travis continued, "Has anybody seen Trip or T'Pol? Do you guys know what their plans are?"

Malcolm answered, "I know Trip's planning on going to visit his parents. He was going to ask T'Pol to join him. Treat it as returning the favor of when she took him to Vulcan. He really is hoping they can maybe get back together."

Hoshi whispered, "Speak of the Devil," as T'Pol came through the door. Seeing them, she came to the table and sat down, saying, "It is good you are all together. I have some information I would like for you to hear."

Just then, Phlox came in also. T'Pol stopped and signaled him to join them. After Phlox was seated, she went on, "Doctor, I was just about to tell everyone something. I have decided to resign from Starfleet and return to Vulcan."

Everyone was stunned. Before anyone could say anything, T'Pol continued, "I made this decision some time ago and I apologize for not telling you sooner, but I wanted to avoid any emotional scenes and did not want to give anyone the opportunity to try to convince me to stay."

Hoshi finally got out, "What are you planning to do on Vulcan? We have a sixty-day leave, is it necessary to leave Starfleet?"

"There is something I must do. Although it is possible I could seek to return to Starfleet in the future, I think it is highly unlikely that I would do so."

Hoshi continued, "We'll all miss you, but if you are sure, I'm sure I speak for all of us that we hope it works out for you." Then after a slight hesitation, "Have you told Commander Tucker and the Captain yet?"

"I am heading for Commander Tucker's quarters now and then will talk to the Captain on the surface."

She then rose and said, "I will miss you all as well, but this is something I feel I must do." With that, she left the Mess Hall.

Malcolm looked after her, "I'd like to be a fly on the wall to hear that conversation."

T'Pol was not looking forward to this discussion. She wished she could just leave and avoid it, but she knew she owed him a goodbye and hopefully some sort of closure.

After pushing the button announcing her presence, she heard him say, "Come in."

She entered to find Trip packing his duffel bag. He smiled upon seeing her, "Hey, T'Pol, I was just going to contact you. If you don't have any plans for the first couple weeks of the leave, I was hoping you could come with me to visit my parents. I would like to reciprocate for when you took me to Vulcan to meet your mother."

"I am afraid that would be impossible in light of what I wish to tell you."

Trip face sobered, "Sound serious, what's up?"

She gestured to the bed, "Perhaps we should sit down."

They sat down next to each other on the bed.

"I am leaving Starfleet and returning to Vulcan."

Trip, now stunned, "But what about us?"

"I will miss you as a friend, but I feel this is something I need to do."

"A friend? We are more than that."

"I admit you have been special to me, but there is no us."

Getting agitated, "We made love, T'Pol, that's more than what friends do."

T'Pol wondered if she should tell him about the Trellium. It would help explain what had caused her to act the way she did. But, she decided she did not want anyone to know. She realized she did not want Captain Archer to know.

"It happened because of the Neuropressure and the conditions we were facing in the Expanse. Is it not significant that although we continued to do the intimacy of Neuropressure, it never happened again?"

"How do you explain Lorian? You and I had a child together."

"That was not us. That was a T'Pol and Trip that experienced entirely different life conditions. It could be possible that faced with the same situation, we might make the same decision, it is also possible we might choose different mates."

Getting a little angry, Trip continued, "You have an answer for everything, don't you? You took me home to meet your mother."

"And we know how that turned out. I married a different man."

"You didn't love him. You did it to protect your mother."

"That is true, but if I felt the way about you that you believe I do, do you not think I would have avoided it?"

"No, T'Pol, I don't know why you are doing this, but you know you feel more that friendship for me. We formed a bond for God's sake. When I came back from Columbia, you kissed me."

"I admit the bond mystified me. I could not understand why it would form so long after we had intercourse. If that was the cause, it should have occurred immediately. But with no other explanation, I had to believe that perhaps I did have feelings for you. I was also glad to see you return from Columbia because, even though you denied it, I felt you left for Columbia because of me." After a moment she continued, "And did you not leave because you knew I did not share your feelings for me?"

She continued, "Then, when we found out about Elizabeth, I knew she was what had caused the bond."

She continued sadly, "That was verified when it disappeared after she died."

Trip, breaking down, "How about Elizabeth, we had a child together. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Of course, it does. It will be something special that we will always have between us. We were there to comfort each other. But it does not mean I love you. What if they had chosen someone else's DNA? Malcolm's? The Captain's? Would you then expect me to be in love with them?"

Trip buried his head in his hands.

T'Pol reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry I hurt you. That was never my intent. You will always be a cherished friend. It grieves me that I do not feel the same towards you as you apparently do for me."

She rose up and said, "Goodbye, Trip", and headed for the door. As she neared it, she almost stopped to try to do something that might help, but she knew there was nothing more to say. She went out the door without looking back.

She had left so abruptly that it caught Trip off guard. He quickly got up and rushed after her. As he opened the door, he had her name on his lips to call out, but she was nowhere in sight. Just two crewmen passing who looked inquisitively at him. Giving them a nod, he shut the door and sat back on the bed. Then pounding his fist into the bed, he screamed, "Damn, Damn, Damn."

Finally, the anger passed and he buried his head in his hands and wept.

In order to avoid seeing any of the crew again, T'Pol had arranged for a Vulcan Shuttle to bring her to Earth. It delivered her to Starfleet headquarters. Telling it to wait, she entered the building. Passing quickly through the security scanners, she eschewed the elevator and quickly went up the stairs to the third floor. Entering into a nearly empty waiting room, she saw Captain Archer sitting by himself, looking at a pad. She crossed the room and as she neared him, he looked up and saw her. She saw a mixture of surprise and pleasure cross his face.

"Hey, T'Pol, what are you doing here?" Then his faced turned to one of concern, "Is something wrong?"

"No, Captain, but I need to talk to you. Is there somewhere we can talk privately?"

"Shouldn't be anyone in the conference rooms this time of morning. We can use one of them." They made their way to the door connecting to the rooms and then went into an empty conference room. As they sat in chairs around the table, Archer spoke up, "So, what's on your mind?"

Suddenly, to her surprise, T'Pol realized this was going to be much more difficult than it had been with the others, even Trip.

"I made this decision some time ago, but wanted to avoid any emotional goodbyes or anyone trying to talk me out of it. I am leaving Starfleet and returning to Vulcan."

Archer was stunned. This was a complete shock. He was also shocked when he realized how much he would miss her. He was forced to face something he had kept pushed down for a long time. He loved her.

Should he tell her? He knew he couldn't do that. It would just make this harder. There was no reason to believe she felt the same toward him.

"Why, T'Pol? Does it have anything to do with Elizabeth or Trip?"

"Not directly. I have been pondering whether to do this for some time and recent events have caused me to decide it is time."

"Time for what?"

T'Pol hesitated. She had not told the others of what she planned, but somehow felt she owed it to the Captain.

"I am planning to go through a Vulcan ritual. It is called the Kenara. It is intended to enable one to decide how she should proceed with her life. Based on what is discovered, I will then make a decision on how to continue."

"Is it possible you could return to Starfleet?"

"That is a possibility, but it is more likely I would undergo Kolinahr."

"Purging emotions? Is that what this is about?"

"Yes, I have felt for some time I have become too involved in human emotions." She of course omitted the fact the problems had become acute because of her experimentation with Trellium.

Just then, Admiral Gardner's secretary stuck her head in the door. Exasperatedly she said, "Here you are, Captain. The Admiral is waiting."

Archer, answering a little shortly, "I'll be there in just a moment."

T'Pol got up to leave, "I better go, you shouldn't keep the Admiral waiting."

Archer didn't know what to say. He wanted to scream at her that she couldn't do it, but he knew that would just make things worse. Finally, he decided to at least hold out a hope that she would return.

"I hate to see you go, but it is apparent you have decided. I would like to ask something of you though. May I work with Admiral Gardner so that you can stay in Starfleet and be put on extended leave. Then you would easily be able to return if that is what you decide."

"As long as I am not in any way bound to return, I see no problem in that."

"Good." After a hesitation, "I will miss you, T'Pol, a lot."

She looked inquisitively at him. She suddenly realized how much she would miss him as well. For a moment, she surprised herself as she even questioned whether she should leave. Then she shoved that thought aside. "I will miss you as well, Captain."

Giving him the Vulcan sign, she said, "Live Long and Prosper."

Then she was gone.

Archer stared at the door, suddenly feeling as if a part of him had gone with her. Then he pulled himself together and headed for the Admiral's office.

For the rest of the morning Shuttles passed up and down between _Enterprise_ and the Earth, starting the crew on their journeys. For the bridge crew, they left for their destinations in differing frames of mind.

Trip, having recovered somewhat, worked to looking forward to seeing his parents and old friends again. But he knew it would be some time before he would fully accept what happened.

Hoshi and Travis on the other hand, looked forward excitedly and with a touch of nervousness to their adventure. They would be alone together, camping together, for some time.

T'Pol boarded a Vulcan Cruiser that would bring her to Vulcan. Determinedly, she spent her time in mediation, concentrating on the path ahead.

As for Malcolm, he entered his shuttle with conflicting emotions. As the shuttle took off and headed for England, he felt his apprehension growing. It was of course driven by coming to grips with the illness of his father, but it was also due a certain ramification of that illness. For over four hundred years, a Reed had lived on the same parcel of land. He was now going to have to tell his dying father that was going to end. Although he suspected his father already realized that, making it a reality for him, especially in his current state, would not be a pleasant moment. Reed had considered not telling him, but realized that it would be cowardly to not enable his father to be part of the discussion of what should be done. In any case, he was pretty sure his father would bring it up if he didn't. Then there was the decision to be made about his mother. What would happen to her? He was sure that she would want to stay in her home, but plans had to be made for the future. Who knew where he might be when future decisions would have to be made when she became ill or died. Then there was Penelope…

 **A/N Thank you to all of you who are reading my story. I do appreciate it. A special thanks to aria1210 for the wonderful review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Still don't own anything.**

 **Thank you to escape5, LoErneBraska, aria1210, and ShanRQuinn for your reviews. I hope all of you who are reading along will stay with me, but I don't want to mislead anyone. This is an Archer/T'Pol story.**

It took Archer a few moments to gather himself, and by the time he returned to the waiting room, T'Pol was gone. As he passed the receptionist on the way to Admiral Gardner's office, he got a glare from her that he ignored.

As he entered the office, Gardner motioned for him to sit down. Before Gardner could speak, Archer jumped in, "Before we start Admiral, there is something I need your help with."

Gardner didn't seem too happy about the interruption, but said, "What is it?"

"The reason I was late is that Commander T'Pol just informed me that she is leaving Starfleet and going back to Vulcan."

Looking surprised, "I haven't heard anything about it."

"She refrained from telling anyone until now because she was afraid we would try to talk her out of it. Guess this is your notification."

"Did she say what her future plans were?"

Archer decided that T'Pol would not appreciate him telling Gardner about the ritual. "No, but she did say there was a possibility she might return. I was hoping, Sir, that we could keep her on the books, so to speak, for say, a year. Without pay, of course."

"A year? You know we have no precedents to do that."

"Well, she is entitled to sixty days leave. So, let's just say she's is on some type of administrative leave after that. I am sure you can find some way to do it. I'm asking as a personal favor."

Gardner was thinking that Captain Archer was pushing a little too much, knowing he was considered a hero by all of Earth. But, he also knew how badly the President wanted him for this job.

"All right, I'll figure out something, but just for a year."

As Archer thanked him, he thought to himself, 'we'll see in a year.'

"Now, could we possibly get to what I called you down here for?"

"Of course, Sir."

"As you know, President Samuels has made the reestablishment of some type of alliance between us and the other three planets a high priority. He believes that one major hold up is that the citizens of each planet fear the others because they know nothing about them. Feeling that they are completely alien to each other."

"His plan, which I endorse, it to set up a series of let's call them fairs. One would be held on each of the four planets. We would invite ordinary citizens of each planet to participate; that is farmers, businessmen, professionals, etc. We would also include families, spouses, children. The three planets that are visiting the home world of the other would also present an overview of their planet; it's terrain, it's cities, etc."

"Then, at the end, individuals representing occupations on the home planet could meet informally with their counterparts. Be able to see how they are the same, how they meet similar challenges."

Archer answered, "I think it is a good idea, but some of those planets do have very different lifestyles."

"That's true, but if we cannot find common ground, no alliance will last for long. We need to be able to interact with these people."

"Where do I fit in?"

President Samuels and I agree that you are the person to be in charge of carrying this out. You have the contacts, you are probably the one person all of them trust. We have already set up a command center for you to operate out of. It has been provided with the most advanced communications. The site for the first fair, which will be on Earth, is being worked on as we speak."

"Do I need to pick a staff?"

"We have already done the staffing, but you are certainly able to make any changes you want, including bringing in anyone you wish."

"When do I start?"

"Right now. Michelle has the information on where the center is, equipment, and current staffing. The President wants this done ASAP. We plan on having the first Fair in three months, then one every two months after that."

"That's pretty aggressive."

"Yes, but we can't afford to let this drag out for a long time. We need to keep moving forward."

"I guess I better get started."

Admiral Gardner got up. As Archer also rose, Gardner reached out to shake his hand, "Good luck, Jon, I know we can count on you."

Archer shook his hand and after getting the information, found his command center. After being introduced to his staff and getting a tour, he turned to his communications expert and said, "Get me Commander Shran."

The shuttle bearing Lieutenant Commander Reed landed at a small air field on the coast of England. Thanking his pilot, Reed exited the craft. He had decided to wear his dress uniform because he believed his Father would like to see him in it. Telling the pilot he would contact Starfleet when he was ready to leave, he watched the Shuttle take off.

At that moment, he saw a car coming down from the bluffs that surrounded the airport. He was surprised to see it was the same old cab that had served the airport since he was a boy.

When it came to a stop, he was even more surprised to see it was still being driven by the same man. The driver exited and walked over to him, "Malcolm Reed, it's been a long time. Welcome home."

"Hello, Clyde, I see somethings never change."

Clyde smiled, "Around here, that's pretty much true about everything."

Then, he turned serious. "It's an honor to see you. We're all proud of what you did."

"Thank you, Clyde, but we just were doing out duty."

"I was sorry to hear about your Father, we are all hoping for the best."

Reed just nodded and placing his bag in the back, sat next to the driver.

The cab wound its way up the hill to a road that ran behind the sand dunes overlooking the sea. It passed a series of similar looking homes until it stopped in front of one of them.

Reed got out, got his bag, and taking out his wallet turned back to Clyde, "What's the damage?"

Clyde waved him off. "You'll find your money's no good here. Give my best to your mother."

Malcolm started to protest, but realized it wouldn't do any good. He thanked Clyde and as the cab drove off, headed for the house. As he neared the front door, his mother came out to greet him. Malcolm struggled to hide his reaction as he saw how much she had changed. Apparently, his father's illness was taking a toll on her as well. She looked thin and very tired. She summoned up a smile to meet him as she gave him a hug.

"It's so good to see you, Malcolm. Your father has been looking forward to you coming." She stepped back and looked at him, "You look so handsome."

"Thanks, Mom. How is he doing?"

"He has his good days and his bad days. Today is a good one, and you being here will make it even better."

As they entered the house, she said, "You can put your bag in your old room. I have been sleeping in Madeline's old room and Madeline has been staying in the guest room."

"Is Madeline here?"

"She had to go back to London for some crisis at work. She said she'd be back in a couple of days." She went on, "I think she just needed to get away. Seeing her father like this has been hard on her."

Malcolm put his bag in his old room, noting it had changed very little since the last time he saw it. When he returned to the living room, his mother was putting some medicine bottles and a cup of water on a small tray, "It's almost time for his medicine. After he takes it, he gets disoriented and drowsy, so I'll let you go up now." She hesitated, "Try not to be shocked by what you see."

With no little trepidation, Malcolm made his way up the stairs to his parent's bedroom. Knocking on the door, he heard a faint voice ask him to come in. Although he thought he had prepared himself, he was still upset by what he saw. All his life, his father had been bigger than life, a formidable presence in Malcolm's life. What laid in the bed was but a shell of that man. If he didn't know it was his father, he probably would not have recognized him. Evidently what he felt showed on his face, because his father smiled weakly and said in a voice that was but a remnant of his deep bass, "Quite a sight, huh. You should see me on a bad day."

Malcolm moved over closer to the bed. He made no attempt to hug him, he would feel odd doing so and his Father had never been one for touching. "Hello, Father."

"You look quite impressive in that uniform. It appears I was wrong for being against your entering Starfleet. Everyone is proud of you, Malcolm."

"I know, but you know we were just soldiers doing our best."

His father nodded and then after a slight hesitation, "There is something we need to talk about."

Malcolm thought to himself, sure of what his father was referring to, 'that didn't take long, and I worried if I should bring it up'.

"As you know, a Reed has lived on this land for over 400 years. Are you going to continue that tradition?"

Malcolm looked into his eyes, "No, Father."

His father didn't show much reaction, he evidently had prepared himself for that answer. "I thought as much. In fact, in anticipation of it, I had already asked your sister if she would consider it, but she has her life in London."

After a short awkward silence, his father continued, "Fortunately, I believe I have a workable solution. Your Mother has already made it clear she intends to live here as long as she is able to. Do you remember Jeremy Winston?"

Malcolm unconsciously raised his eyebrows and thought, 'Remember him? How could he forget him'? Jeremy had grown up just down the road from the Reeds. His father had been abusive to both him and his mother. Jeremy had found refuge with the Reeds. He spent much of his childhood with them. He had often told Malcolm how much he envied him and how he wished he could be a Reed.

"Of course, Father, what about him?"

"Anticipating your response, I approached him and asked if he would be willing to look after your Mother and the house after I am gone. He said he would be glad to do what he could."

Malcolm had to smile to himself. It appeared that Jeremy was about to get his wish, to replace Malcolm. He knew he should be grateful to him, after all, it was Malcolm's decision that was allowing him in; but it still bothered Malcolm for some reason that it was him. Then he chided himself for his hypocrisy.

"That is very generous of him. I am glad Mother will be able to stay here. But you aren't dead yet. As stubborn as you are, you may fool everyone."

"I am afraid this time I met somebody I can't buffalo. In fact, we need to get Jeremy over here as soon as possible to sign some papers."

Just then, Malcolm's mother came through the door. "It's time for your medication and you need some rest."

His father answered, "Can't we wait a little longer?"

"No, you need to rest. you and Malcolm can continue your talk later."

"Very well. We'll finish up that matter later, Malcolm." Then hesitating, "It has been good to see you."

Malcolm answered, "And you, Father. I'll come back up after you've rested."

Malcolm left and went downstairs. Deciding to change out of his uniform, he went into his room and changed. As he came out, his mother was waiting for him. "He will probably sleep until after suppertime. Can I get you something?"

"A cup of tea, if it would not be too much trouble?"

"Of course not, have a seat and I'll get it."

After she fixed the tea, she joined Malcolm at the table. "I hope it wasn't too much of a shock seeing your father like that."

Malcolm decided to lie a little, "No, it was bad, but not more than I was expecting." Hesitating, wondering if he should say anything, "How about you, Mother, are you getting any rest?"

"It has been difficult, but I will be all right." After a moment, she showed her old smile, "Penelope was by the other day asking when you were coming."

Luckily, Malcolm didn't have any tea in his mouth, or he probably would have spit it out. "Penelope?"

His mother smiled again, "Why don't you just swing by and visit her? As I said, your Father will be asleep for a while. I'll make supper about six."

Trying to look nonchalant, Malcolm said, "I think I will." Finishing up his tea, he headed out the door. "I'll be back for supper, goodbye, Mom."

"Goodbye Malcolm, say Hi to Penelope for me."

Malcolm started walking along the road, heading away from the airport. As he walked, his mind was running a mile a minute, trying to absorb all that happened in such a short time. Then he passed a trail that led out into the dunes. Suddenly, he was overcome with a rush of memories.

Penelope Crowder had been in the same grade as him in school. She had always been considered an odd one, dressing in clothes that covered her from head to foot, even in the summer. She had a plain face and was ignored by Malcolm and his friends. She had a brilliant brother, who had graduated from High School when he was eleven and went off to Oxford. He remembered how Penelope had protected her brother from bullies when he was growing up.

Then, when he was a junior in high school, he was stood up by the girl who was to be his date for the Junior Prom. With few choices, he had asked Penelope to join him. To his surprise, she accepted. Then to everyone's amazement, when she showed up at the prom, her normal dress revealed a beautiful body she had hidden under those clothes.

They had started dating and did so through their Senior year. Before he left for Starfleet training, he had thought of asking her to marry him, but even back then, realized it wouldn't be fair to her. He had no idea where he would end up. The trail he had stopped at led to the place where they had each lost their virginity to the other.

Resuming his walk, he soon arrived at Penelope's house. Both her parents had died and her brother worked as a scientist in London. She got by as a part time teacher and money her parents had left her.

Now that he was here, he felt nervous, not exactly sure how he would be greeted or how he felt for that matter. He had not been in contact with her since he left and only knew what he knew about her from a previous conversation with his mother.

He walked up and knocked on the door. She answered it almost immediately. She appeared not to have changed a bit. She still wore the same clothes she had before. Before he could do anything, she hit him on the upper arm.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"That's for not hearing from you for so long." Then she grabbed him and kissed him on the mouth. "And that's because I missed you."

Smirking at the look on his face, "Why don't you come in?"

He came in and sat next to her on the couch. She went on. "I am sorry about the hit. After all, you have been a little busy. I just want you to know how proud we…"

"If you don't mind, Penelope, if I hear how wonderful I am one more time, I am going to puke."

She looked surprised, but then smiled, "No, problem, Malcolm, I know how you hate to have anyone paying you compliments or making a fuss over you." Then smirking again, "Is Jonathon Archer as handsome in person?"

Seeing him get flustered, she laughed and said, "Sorry, just giving you a little shot, there is only one handsome man on _Enterprise_ I am interested in." Seeing him blush a little, she continued with a giggle, "And that's Commander Tucker."

Malcolm stopped her next giggle by leaning over and giving her a kiss, which she returned.

Then she got up and said. "Let's go for a walk." She grabbed a jacket and headed out the door. Bemused, Malcolm followed her. They walked together, not talking for a while, back the way Malcolm had come. When they reached the trail, Penelope grabbed his hand and they walked out onto the dunes until they could see the sea below.

She turned to him, "Well, did you meet any beautiful aliens out there?"

Malcolm though of Tallas and T'Pol. Telling a little lie, "None that I was interested in, or that were interested in me."

"How about crewmates?"

Malcom then thought of Hoshi losing her shirt and the misunderstanding when he thought she was asking her to her cabin. "No, how about you?"

"Oh, a few have tried, but I just told them I was only interested in officers in Starfleet. That kind of narrowed the field a little." After a long hesitation, she went on. "Jeremy Winston has been persistent, though."

Malcolm was shocked and then a little angry. Evidentially, Jeremy wanted to replace him in more ways than one. "I assume you have resisted."

"Yes." But then she turned to him. "But, I can't keep waiting for someone who may never want me."

Malcolm was stunned and realized how he was not ready for this.

"Penelope…"

She put her fingers on his lips. "Shh, don't say anything." Taking another look at the water, she said, "It's getting chilly. We better head back."

It was a silent walk back, both lost in their own thoughts. When they reached her door, Penelope said, "I just want to let you know how bad I feel about your father. I try to get down there to try to help out a little but I just feel so helpless."

Taking both his hands in hers, "You'll come and see me again before you leave?"

Then she gave him a quick kiss and went into the house, leaving Malcolm alone and confused.

Malcolm made his way back home, his mind trying to wrap around what had just happened. The trouble was he didn't know what he had expected or what he wanted. He had managed to tell himself that it was probably over between them, that she would have found someone. In trying to protect himself from getting hurt, he had ignored his own feelings. Now, he knew he still loved her, but nothing had changed, in fact it had become clearer they couldn't be together. He had made his decision. He wanted a career in Starfleet. He needed to devote himself to that career. Penelope deserved someone that was there for her, someone to build a family with. But then he frowned, 'Why did it have to be Jeremy Winston?'

He reached his destination still fighting his thoughts. Although he thought he had made his decision, he could not completely dismiss the fact that Penelope still wanted him, that somehow they could make it work.

As he entered the house, he was informed that dinner was almost ready. Fending off questions about Penelope, he just told his mom they had a nice talk and were going to get together again before he left. After they ate, Malcolm helped with the dishes. Just as they finished, there was a knock on the door. Telling his mother he'd get it, he opened the door to find Jeremy Winston standing there.

"Hello, Jeremy, come on in." Malcolm had a petty feeling of satisfaction to see that Jeremy was going bald.

Jeremy stuck out his hand and Malcolm shook it quickly. As Jeremy entered, he went on, "Malcolm, it's great to see you. Guess we were lucky you guys were able to deal with those aliens."

He then smiled and said, "Evening, Mary, how was Stuart today?"

In spite of himself, Malcolm found himself irked at the familiarity. Then he had to smirk to himself, this guy was really getting under his skin. At least he didn't call them Mom and Dad.

Reminding himself that Jeremy was here because of what Malcolm had chosen, he decided he should do his best to make this go well.

"Jeremy, I just want to let you know how much I appreciate you doing this for our family."

Jeremy smiled, "Well, thank you Malcolm, but then, we can't all just go off galivanting around the universe, now, can we?"

Malcolm managed to stay civil the rest of the night as they basically signed papers turning over his inheritance to Jeremy.

The next day was quiet. His father had a really bad day and they kept him pretty well knocked out with pain killers. Malcolm did go down to the local tavern but soon tired of everyone patting him on the back and saying, "Your money's no good here."

The third day Madeline returned and she and Malcolm had a good day getting reacquainted. Stuart had another bad day and it was apparent the end was near. Malcolm and Madeline returned from a walk around town about supper time, but their mother was not around. Then they saw her come down the stairs crying and knew it was time. Seeing them, she confirmed it, dabbing at her eyes, "I've called for Doctor Swanson, you two better go up."

They sadly mounted the stairs and entered the room. Their father was obviously fighting for every breath. They had to get right next to the bed to hear him. It took him some time to get it all out. "I know I wasn't always the best father and maybe I was too hard on you, but I always wanted the best for you and am proud of you both."

Suddenly Malcolm knew what he wanted to say. He was surprised in a way, but realized he knew it was true even if he had often hated him as well. "I love you, Father." Then he reached down and gave him a small hug.

Madeline could do nothing but cry and reach out and take his withered hand.

Then, they heard their mother and the Doctor coming up the stairs. They left so their mother could spend the last moments with him.

Then Malcolm thought he should call Penelope. As she gave him her condolences, he knew what he must do.

Madeline remembered to call Jeremy, but by the time he got there, it was over.

The funeral was two days later. The whole town turned out and Stuart Reed received a military send off. Penelope came over at the funeral and talked to his mother and Madeline and nodded to him.

Malcolm and Madeline stayed around for two days, but then both decided it was time to go. Their mother assured them she would be fine and Malcolm had to admit that Jeremy had been good for her.

After saying goodbye to Madeline and calling for a Shuttle, Malcolm headed back down the road to Penelope's.

She let him in and sat him down on the couch. Before he could say anything, she started.

"Do you know how this town got started? It was built for the wives of sailors who sailed out from here. At one time, it was the place where women waited for their men to return." She looked at Malcolm. "I am a descendent of those women and I want nothing more than to wait for you. Please give me a chance to do so."

For a moment, Malcolm wavered, but then he knew he had decided correctly when he had talked to her on the phone. "I can't let you do that, Penelope. I am not going to sea. I might not be back for years. You deserve better than that. You deserve someone who will be here for you. Someone to have a family with."

Penelope looked him in the eye. "It's my decision. It's what I want. I know what I am putting myself in for but that's my choice."

Malcom looked down and then back up, "No, I love you too much to ask you to do that. I won't let you do it."

Her eyes softened, "You love me?"

"Yes, but if we did that, we would end up regretting it."

She looked at him and then sighed. "I don't suppose crying would change your mind."

Malcolm had to give her a small smile. "No, but please don't"

Then she seemed to make a decision. She got up and took him by the hand and pulled him toward the stairs. When he looked inquisitively at her she said, "Don't worry, I won't ask for anything, I just need to do this."

They quietly went up the stairs. They got on the bed and kissed, increasingly passionately. Then they undressed each other. Malcolm did all he could to be sure he could bring her as much pleasure as possible. The act itself was wonderful, but yet leaving a sense of sadness at what it meant.

Afterwards, she didn't say a word, just grabbed a robe and went out the door.

Malcolm got dressed and went downstairs. She was standing by a counter in the kitchen, looking the other way. He started to move toward her but she waved him away. He turned and headed for the door. He heard a quiet voice say, "Goodbye, Malcolm."

He turned and said, "Goodbye, Penelope." It seemed so little, but he also knew there was nothing left to say.

As he walked back down the road, he looked back, but couldn't tell if she was watching or not.

He returned home and said his goodbyes, giving his mother a big hug and promising to really make an effort to stay in touch. He then shook hands with Jeremy.

Clyde arrived soon after he called him. He had also been contacted that the Shuttle would be on time. As he waved once more from the cab, they headed back down the road to the airport.

The Shuttle was waiting and the pilot took his bag. Malcolm turned and shook hands with Clyde.

"Goodbye, Malcom, try not to stay away so long this time."

"Goodbye, Clyde."

He then boarded the Shuttle and took one last look back before the Shuttle turned and flew back toward Starfleet.

A lone figure stood on the dunes watching as the Shuttle lifted off. Penelope waited until the Shuttle was out of sight. Then she turned back, walking down the trail leading to her home.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Still don't own anything. Thank you to ShanRQuinn, EroSlackerMicha and aria1210 for your reviews. I also wish to thank all of you who are reading. I really appreciate all your support.**

Hoshi and Travis started on their excursion through the Alps. Most of the trip was in the valleys with the last leg a walking trip up a smaller mountain to the snow line. They carried two sleeping bags, a small tent just to cover them in case of rain, some changes of clothing and some Starfleet food rations. The first week passed, them spending the nights in the open with excellent weather. They discussed some of the other crew members and wondered how they were faring. They especially wondered about T'Pol, both agreeing how they would miss her, how she had become one of them. They both felt sorry for Trip and wondered what T'Pol had said to him. They had not seen him that morning and they figured he must have taken a later shuttle. They wondered if they should try to contact him or Malcolm when they got back. They tried to think what Captain Archer's project could be, both agreeing that it probably had something to do with an attempt to build an alliance. They talked about how the aliens they had met along the way had become real individuals. They especially talked about Shran. When they had visited Andoria doing their Shuttle Diplomacy, they had found that Shran and Jhamel were involved romantically.

At the start of the second week, they arrived at one of the four hostels along the route. They discussed whether they should stop. They really didn't want to be recognized and have to deal with getting congratulations and being asked questions about the Xindi mission. Not discussing it was the first rule they had agreed upon.

But the lure of a hot shower and a cooked meal made them decide it was worth the chance. As they entered the building, they were greeted by a hostess.

"Welcome to Hostel number one. What can we offer you?"

Travis spoke up, "A shower and a good meal."

"Will you be staying the night?"

Travis looked at Hoshi who nodded yes, having decided it would be nice to sleep in a real bed.

Travis continued, "Yes, we will."

"That will be twenty credits each."

Travis gave her a personal card, they had decided not to use their Starfleet ones.

After charging the card, she told them, "Supper will be at seven o'clock. Here are the numbers of your beds. The beds and showers are through that door. Lights out is at ten o'clock." She smiled at them, "The beds are next to each other but there will be no fooling around of any kind."

In spite of herself, Hoshi felt herself blushing slightly. Travis noticed, but gave no indication that he had; although it made him feel warm as well.

Hoshi and Travis passed through the door and found there was something about the hostel they had not anticipated. Apparently, privacy and modesty were not of any concern. There were perhaps thirty men and women in the room. When they went to the shower, they were au natural. It appeared after you showered, you were given a towel to dry off. Some were more modest on the way back, covering themselves with a towel, but most came back the way they had gone.

Hoshi looked at Travis who looked as stunned as she did. She was about to suggest they leave, when to her surprise, Travis looked for and found their beds. Hoshi followed after him.

As they put their bags on the beds, Hoshi decided what the hell and started to look around. She discovered there were a lot of attractive people in the room. She found herself feeling a little self-conscious about looking, then a little guilty. She also wondered if Travis was looking too.

She turned and seeing him also taking it all in, she asked, "What are we going to do?"

He smiled at her a little nervously, "I really would like to take a shower. Maybe we could not look when we go." He went on, "On the other hand, it's not like we haven't seen each other in our skivvies in decon."

Hoshi was about to say that wasn't quite the same, when she realized all the other women would be ogling him. If they were watching, she was too. She answered, "If this is how it works, I guess we should go along."

Travis looked at her inquisitively, then smiled, "I guess you're right. Shall we go together, or who should go first?"

As much as Hoshi wanted to see him nude as much as possible, she decided it was better if they went separately. There might be some temptation to help each other in the shower.

"I'll go first." Trying to be as nonchalant as possible, she started to take off her clothes. She noticed Travis turned his head as she did so. When she was naked, she headed off for the shower, resisting the urge to turn to see if he was watching. She did notice she was getting a good look over from the other men and a couple of the women. She had to admit it was a little flattering, after all, she had nothing to be ashamed of. Just as she reached the shower, she had to turn to enter and felt herself blushing when she saw that Travis was watching.

After the shower, when she had dried herself off, she wondered if she should wear the towel back. Suddenly, she knew she didn't want to, not only because it was wet, but she had to admit to herself, she wanted Travis to see her. Wrapping the towel around her hair, she took a deep breath and headed back. Apparently, Travis had decided that he was not going to disguise the fact he wanted to see her. She walked toward him, feeling warm but also excited.

Travis was surprised and a little shocked at what he was doing. He knew he should respect her privacy and not be looking, but he couldn't help himself. She was every bit as beautiful as he had ever imagined. He also realized she could have worn the towel back, if she didn't want him to see her.

As Hoshi neared the bed, he turned away and let her get dressed and start drying her hair before he turned back. Feeling a little awkward, he said, "Guess it's my turn."

Hoshi turned her back as he got undressed, but definitely watched him as he walked away. She had of course seen him in just a pair of shorts many times and had admired his build. But now she was seeing what she had only envisioned before. And it was definitely a very nice butt. She also noticed the looks he was getting from the other women, and felt a burst of pride that Travis was with her.

When Travis returned from his shower, she was both disappointed and relieved that he was wearing a towel around his waist. She didn't look as he got dressed.

Just then, the hostess came in the door and announced that dinner was ready. As everyone headed though a door on the opposite side of the room, Travis got close to her ear and whispered, "You are really beautiful."

Blushing, Hoshi looked down at first but then looked into his face, "So are you."

They went into the other room and found seats at one of two long tables. Then they got up and went through the food line. When they were reseated and started eating, the woman across from them said, "Pardon me, but you two are from _Enterprise,_ aren't you? You're Hoshi Sato and Travis Mayweather."

Glancing resignedly at Travis, Hoshi answered, "Yes, we are."

The woman sitting next to the woman who had spoken, now spoke up, "Oh my God, it is such an honor to meet you." Digging through her bag, she continued, "Could I get your autographs?"

Hoshi sighed to herself and spoke up, "I'm sorry, it would be against Starfleet orders."

Continuing to go through her bag, the woman continued, "Oh, they won't know, just one little autograph." Hesitating she said, "It's for my daughter."

Hoshi was about to speak, when the woman who first addressed them, spoke up. "For goodness sake, Marsha, leave them alone. You don't even have a daughter."

Marsha glared at her, but put her bag down.

The woman continued, "Sorry about that, she usually isn't this way. I admit I am pretty awestruck too. My name is Sara Thompson and this is Marsha Willings."

Hoshi smiled and said, "No problem, glad to meet you."

Soon they were addressed by everyone at the table, offering their thanks for what they had done.

For the next hour, Hoshi and Travis wearily tried to answer the questions that everyone had for them, avoiding ones they did not want to deal with. To their amusement though, a lot of them were about Captain Archer.

Finally, they were able to complete their meal, and escaped outside to be alone for a while.

When they returned back to their beds, both realized the nudity was making them awkward with each other. Not sure exactly how to handle it, and not wanting to discuss it with others around, they said goodnight.

As the room went dark, each lay there with their own thoughts.

Hoshi was surprised that it bothered her so much. She was not a prude by any means, and under normal circumstance would not be that concerned showing herself when it was what everyone was doing. She knew it was because Travis was there. While in a way, she did not regret what she had done, it did make it more difficult to try to figure out where she and Travis stood. She was not ready for the degree of intimacy that it might be construed to mean. She of course had known for some time she was attracted to Travis and believed he was attracted to her. She also knew her feelings for him grew in many ways out of the mission. The recent events only complicated her attempt to sort everything out.

Travis chided himself. When he had gathered up the courage to ask Hoshi to join him, he was overjoyed to have her accept. He had been enamored of her for a long time. But their closeness in the Expanse had made him realize he loved her. But although he knew she cared for him, he could sense she was still confused about them. He had told himself not to push things; that he needed to give her the time and space to determine what she felt. Now he had probably blown that by first insisting they stay, and then not allowing herself any privacy from him. He knew it was absurd he thought that way because she was obviously being seen by the others, but he could not help but feel he had crossed a line she was not ready to have crossed.

The next morning, Hoshi and Travis stalled until everyone had left so as to hopefully avoid them on the trail. Both of them were quiet during the day, each wondering how to approach the other with what they were both thinking about.

That night, after having supper and getting ready to settle down for the night, Hoshi decided enough was enough. "Travis, we need to talk. This is getting ridiculous."

Travis managed to smile and said, "I agree." Then he continued, "I'm sorry, Hoshi, we should have left when you said."

Hoshi looked at him with exasperation, "Dammit, Travis, that's not the problem. We have to talk about what happened, how we saw each other naked. How we feel about it and what it means to our relationship."

"Are you sorry we did it? Are you ashamed of what happened?"

"Are you asking if I'm sorry I saw you naked?" She had to smirk, "You do have one hell of a butt."

He smiled back, "I'm afraid I can't feel too bad about seeing you either. You are really beautiful."

"Oh, God, Travis, how are we going to handle this? I am just not ready for anything intimate. I am afraid you will assume too much from what happened."

"I am not assuming anything. I just saw a beautiful woman that wasn't ashamed of her body. You can trust me to not take this anywhere you are not ready to go."

Hoshi put her hand on his shoulder, "You know I care about you. And God knows, I am attracted to you, but I also know that the Expanse drew us together. I need to know how much that and the fact that I am attracted to you affects how I really feel. I'm sorry I'm confused, but I just don't want to lead you on in any way."

Travis put his hand on hers. "Hoshi, don't you ever worry about that. I just love to be with you. This trip has been one of the happiest times of my life, to be able to spend this time with you. As long as you are still willing to keep trying, to keep exploring what we can have, I am willing to explore it with you."

Hoshi smiled and to both their surprise, gave Travis a quick kiss on the mouth. Then, Hoshi said, "We should get some sleep."

The rest of the hike went well. Each day seemed to bring them a little closer. Occasionally they would hold hands as they walked. They both agreed it was best to skip the rest of the hostels.

Finally, they reached the most strenuous part of the tour. Although it was not actual mountain climbing, it was a steadily increasingly uphill walk. Even though they were both in excellent condition, they were glad to reach the peak. From there the view was breathtaking. As they stood there together, Travis this time initiated a kiss which quickly became more passionate. As they broke away they put their foreheads together, both breathing heavily. Recovering her breath, Hoshi smiled, "Well, that was nice."

Travis smiled back, "It was."

The next day they reached the end of the tour and checked into the hotel where they had booked rooms in advance as a part of their plans.

They stayed there for two days and nights, enjoying the pool and eating in fine restaurants. The night before they left to visit their respective families, they made out in Travis's room. Although they both were sorely tempted, they realized they were not ready to have sex. When they broke apart, they prudently each slept in their own rooms.

The next day, at the airport, while their shuttles waited for them, they had a discreet goodbye kiss. Then promising to keep in contact until they met again back in San Francisco, they each boarded their shuttles, Travis bound for New York's Eastern Spaceport and Hoshi for Japan.

The cab pulled up to a house in Biloxi, Mississippi. Trip got out and despite the driver saying he wouldn't accept his money, Trip tossed it into the cab. He picked up his duffel bag and headed up the walk. His father and mother opened the door of the house and came out on the stoop to greet him. Trip walked up to them and embraced his mother.

"Mom, it's great to see you." He held out his hand to his father who shook it. "You, too, Dad."

His mother answered, "Good to see you too, Trip, has been a long time." Trip noticed she seemed pleased but also seemed subdued.

His father spoke up, "Yeah, great to see you, son. Did you have a good trip?" They moved through the door and entered the house.

Trip sat his bag down near the door and answered, "Yeah, Starfleet put us on VIP Shuttles, so I had a Shuttle to myself most of the trip." He looked around, "Nice place."

His father followed his eyes, "Well, it's not the house we had in Florida, but we've been comfortable here." He hesitated a moment and then said, "Thought T'Pol might be with you. Is she planning to come later?"

Trip answered in a way that conveyed that they were not together, "No, she won't be coming."

As she and Chuck exchanged glances, Brenda said, "Are you hungry, Trip, I could fix something."

"No, Mom, I had something on the Shuttle."

Gesturing to a chair, Chuck continued, "Well, have a seat. We have a lot to catch up on."

Trip sat down, looking a little uncomfortable, "If you guys don't mind, I was kind of hoping to just get away from Starfleet for a while. Would rather not talk about it."

Chuck quickly answered, "Sure, Trip, no problem, just glad to have you here."

Then Brenda, glancing at Chuck, spoke up, "Well, I am afraid I promised Mrs. Dailey that I would visit her today. Wasn't sure when you would be arriving. Trip, you don't mind if I leave for a couple of hours?"

"Of course not, Mom, don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Chuck smiled and pretending to be hurt said, "What am I, chopped liver? Go ahead Brenda, I'll keep Trip company."

Brenda got up and found her purse, waved goodbye and left.

Trip looked after her. "Is something wrong with Mom, she seems kind of down."

"You have to excuse her, she has never really been the same since your sister died." Sadly, "I guess none of us have but she just can't let it go. I moved us down here because it seemed that everything in Florida reminded her of what happened, but she has been just as miserable here. I probably made a mistake moving away from our friends."

"I'm sorry, Dad, I have had a long struggle with it myself."

Chuck looked uncomfortable and scratched his head, "I suppose I shouldn't say anything, but… I'm sorry to say this, but you certainly haven't helped."

Trip was stunned and hurt, but managed to say, "What'd I do?"

"Can you imagine how we felt when you went running off to Vulcan instead of coming home? Jeez, Trip, we had just lost a daughter and then it looked like we would lose you too. Then, when we heard you were okay and coming back to Earth, your Mother counted the days. It was the best I had seen her since Elizabeth died. When you told us you weren't planning to see us, she was crushed. I have to admit, I was angry myself."

Trip felt defensive and answered, "I'm sorry I hurt you and Mom, but you have to realize, I was in love with a Vulcan woman, we had been there for each other at probably the low point of my life. Now I had the chance to be with her, to meet her family. Can't you understand how important that was to me?"

"As a man, I can somewhat understand, but as a Father and husband, I just know you hurt us deeply. I can't believe you couldn't know how important it would be to us."

Bitterly, Trip went on, "Well, if it is any consolation to you, it did not work out very well."

Chuck answered angrily, "What, do you think we were happy that things did not turn out good for you? Do you think we wanted something bad to happen to you? We love you, Trip. I just wanted you to understand how we felt and explain how your mother is feeling."

Now feeling contrite, Trip continued, "I'm sorry, Dad, I know you only want the best for me. I guess I was just feeling guilty." He put his head in his hands, "How did everything get so screwed up?"

Chuck got up and put his hand on Trip's hair and stroked it gently, "I'm sorry too, son. I sometimes forget what you've been through. The important thing is, you're here now. Why don't you and I have a beer and talk about some good times?"

Trip looked up and managed a smile, "I'd like that." Trip stood up and his Dad put his arm around his shoulder and they head into the kitchen.

A couple of hours later, Brenda came through the door. She heard talking from the kitchen and went into the room. She saw Chuck and Trip at the table with several empty beer bottles around them.

Chuck looked up and saw her, "Well, look who's here. Come in Brenda, and have a seat. Trip was just telling me about the time he was pregnant."

Trip, seeing the look on his Mother's face, "Dad!"

Chuck smirked, "Well, you were."

Brenda said disapprovingly, 'You're drunk."

Chuck answered back, "I am not. I'm…tipsy."

Brenda, tried to be stern, "Trip, what am I going to do with you? I leave you two alone for a couple of hours and you get your Dad drunk."

"Me? No way. It was all Dad's idea."

Hiding a smile, Brenda sat down and said, "You were pregnant?"

Chuck spoke up, "Yep, that's what he told me. But don't worry, Mother, it wasn't his fault; he just stuck his hands in a bucket."

Trip stifled a chuckle, "It wasn't a bucket, it was a holographic representation and apparently that is how that species reproduced. She didn't intend for it to happen."

Brenda, trying to understand, "So it was a woman?"

Chuck now laughed, "What did you think, he was impregnated by a man?"

"How would I know? What happened to the baby?"

Trip answered, "When they realized what happened, the stopped the process."

Brenda looked shocked, "You had an abortion?"

"No, Mom. They transferred it to someone else, I was obviously not intended to carry a baby."

Chuck butted back in, "But he did have morning sickness. At least he should be more understanding when he has a baby himself." He stammered a little, "I mean when his wife does."

Trip started laughing while Brenda just shook her head, "I swear, it would be easier to take care of a couple of three-year-olds."

Chuck put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek, "But not as much fun."

Trip stopped laughing and reached out and hugged them both, "I love you guys."

Brenda answered quietly, "We love you too, Trip." Then she got up and signaled for them to leave. "Now you two go somewhere to sober up while I start supper."

They headed out to the living room and she heard the TV go on.

The next night, Trip offered to take them out to dinner. After they were seated and the waiter took their order, Trip snuck a look at his mother. "Do you guys remember when Lizzie was about three and we went to that fancy restaurant in Miami?"

His Mother gave him a startled look and started to say something but Trip hurried on. "I remember the food had just been delivered and she threw up all over everything. I didn't know that a little girl could produce that much gunk. I remember you two were shocked and concerned, but when you saw she was all right, I could see Dad was about to say something, when Lizzie looked up with that sweet little innocent face and said, 'Oops', I thought you two were going to die laughing."

Chuck looked at his wife, who seemed not sure how to react, smiled, "Yeah, that was one restaurant we never visited again."

Trip continued, not giving his Mom time to say anything, "Then you dragged us off to that exotic food restaurant because of its 'ambiance'. While you too were off checking out some of the sights in the restaurant, Lizzie and I put most of our food in her purse. After we got home, she put it way back in her closet. Didn't you guys almost have her room fumigated before you figured out where the smell was coming from?"

Brenda spoke hesitantly, but with a small smile, "Yes, but that time you two didn't get away scot-free. You each missed out on an event you wanted badly to attend."

"That's only because I was involved. If it had been just Lizzie, she would have charmed her way into going."

Chuck spoke up, "Are you saying we played favorites?"

"I'm saying she had you and Mom wrapped around her little finger."

Brenda started to tear up, "I miss her so much."

Trip quickly got up and crossed over to her and put his arms around her. "I do too, Mom, I do too." Then he started to cry which made her cry harder. They held each other as Chuck laid his hand on his wife's shoulder. After a while, they settled down, and Trip returned to his seat.

Brenda wiped her eyes, "Thank you, Trip."

Trip looked down at the table. "Dad told you how you felt when I went to Vulcan instead of coming home. I'm sorry I wasn't more considerate."

Brenda looked sternly at Chuck, "He shouldn't have said anything. You're a grown man. If it was important for you to be with her, you did the right thing."

"Thanks, Mom, but I'm still sorry I hurt you."

Brenda continued, "That's all water under the bridge. I'm just glad you are with us now. It's wonderful to have you home, even if just for a few days."

Trip reached over and put his hand over hers. Just then the food arrived. They all sat back and began to eat.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Still doesn't belong to me. Thank you to ShanRQuinn and aria1210 for their revues. I do appreciate your input. Also, a thanks to all my readers.**

After Malcolm returned to Starfleet, he contemplated what he should do with the rest of his leave. He thought of contacting Trip, but decided he probably wanted to be left alone. He didn't want Trip to think he wanted to horn in on his visits with his family and friends. In the end, he decided to stay in San Francisco and take part as much as he could in the work on _Enterprise._ He acquired access to information on all the new additions to the ship, including the warp drives. If he was going to make Starfleet his career, he decided he should learn as much as he could about all aspects of the ship. It also helped to take his mind off of all that transpired in England.

After Trip had stayed at his parent's home for a week, he was off to Florida to spend time with his old friends. Two of them, Jack and Steve, had arranged for them to spend time on a boat, fishing and Scuba diving.

After getting settled in his hotel, he joined Jack and Steve at an old stomping grounds of theirs, a bar called _The Sea Shanty._ The background music was such you had to raise your voice to get the others to hear you. They found a table and ordered a round of beers. Trip had not said much since his original greetings. After he stayed quiet through a couple more rounds, the other two looked at each other and Jack decided to try to bring him out of his shell.

"Well, Trip, you certainly are quiet. You have hardly said a word since we arrived."

Trip took a sip of his beer, and answered, "Sorry, just mulling over a few things."

Steve joined in, "I think he's mulling over memories of what's her name, T'Pol."

Jack spoke again, "Is that it, Trip, according to the tabloids, you two went at it pretty good."

Steve, smirking, "Who can blame him, she is one hot Vulcan with one nice set of jugs. How about it Trip, how was it to get it on with an Alien?"

Trip struggled to keep his temper. After all, they didn't know how he felt about T'Pol and all that had happened between them. "I'm only going to say this once, lay off any of that. T'Pol was a crewmate of mine on a mission that I don't want to think about and there wouldn't be any Earth if it wasn't for her. So just leave it alone."

Steve answered, Alright, don't get testy, can't blame us for being curious."

Trip answered back, "No problem, just not something I want to deal with." Turning his head to look for a waitress, "I need another beer."

Suddenly, a woman's voice behind him said, "Are you sure you need another one, sailor, looks like you had plenty already."

Trip turned and saw the last person he had expected to see. She was as beautiful as ever. She still wore her blond hair long, and the sweater and tight jeans she was wearing showed off her figure.

He blurted out, "Natalie! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. Mind if I sit down?"

Trip, a little sullenly, "Suit yourself, it's a free planet."

As she sat down across from him, he continued, "Can I get you a beer?" He doesn't notice the glance between Steve and Jack.

"No thanks. Turning to Steve and Jack, she continued, "Don't you guys have someplace to go?"

Trip felt himself getting angry, "Hey, where do you get off sending my friends away?"

Steve quickly said, "No sweat, Trip, Jack and I were thinking about checking those two out at that far table. We'll see you later. Nice to see you, Nat."

As they leave the table, Trip continues to try to get a waitress's attention.

Natalie spoke up, "Trip, I need to talk to you. It's important."

"So, talk."

"Not here, it's way too noisy, I can hardly hear myself think."

Trip is tempted to just walk away and leave her there. After all, the last contact he had with her was a Dear John letter when he first shipped out. He had thought things had been getting pretty serious before that. Deciding he was curious to hear what she might have to say, he couldn't help getting a dig in.

"Your place or mine?"

In a hurt voice, "Please, Trip."

Now contrite, "Sorry, where do you suggest?"

"How about the Main Street Diner?"

"Is that place still open?"

"Yeah, and in fact, Greta still runs it."

"I don't have a car, need to hail a cab."

"I have a car, you can ride over there with me."

Just as they were leaving, the waitress arrived; seeing Natalie, she asked, "Hi, Nat, can I get you a Coke?"

Trip looked quizzically at Natalie.

Natalie answered, "No, thanks, we were just leaving."

They went out the door and walked about a half a block where there was an expensive, sporty hover car parked.

Trip exclaimed, "Nice Wheels!"

"There are perks in being the daughter of one of the richest men in the world."

They climbed in the car and drove off.

Trip asked, "What was that with the Coke? Are you on the wagon?"

"Something like that, it's part of what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Speaking of your Dad, how are he and your Mom doing?"

Natalie looked sharply at him, and then bit down on her lower lip.

"Trip, my Mom's dead."

Trip was stricken, Oh, God, Natalie, I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"It's okay, I know you didn't."

"How did it happen?"

"A heart attack, she just never woke up."

They drove in silence for a while, then Natalie said hesitantly, "I just wanted you to know how sorry I was, I am, about Elizabeth."

"She was your friend too."

"I know, I still think of her every day."

"I know what you mean, I do too."

They arrived at the Diner and Natalie maneuvered into a parallel parking spot.

Trip had to smile, "I see your still one of the best drivers around. Don't you have an automatic parker though?"

"That wouldn't be a challenge, driving is still one of my pleasures in life."

They entered the diner. There was a couple sitting at a booth near the counter, but the rest of the booths were empty. A plump woman in her fifties came out from behind the counter and smiled broadly as she recognized them, "Trip Tucker, what a surprise. It's been a long time."

"Too long, Greta, how have you been?"

Ruefully, Greta answered, "Still the same, slinging hash and eating too much of it." Turning to Natalie, "Hi, Nat."

"Hi, Greta."

"Well, have a seat, I'll be right over."

They took a booth in the back, away from the windows and the other couple. Greta came over, "Seriously now Trip, your credits are no good here. Whatever you want is on the house."

Trip sighed, "You don't have to …"

"No buts, it's the least I can do. Hell, none of us would be here if it wasn't for you."

Resignedly, "Thank you, Greta, but I just need a cup of coffee. How about you, Natalie?"

"That's fine, just put cream in mine."

Greta said, "Okay, but remember, I still owe you a dinner."

After she left the table, Trip shook his head, "It gets tiresome with this Trip Tucker, Hero, crap."

Natalie shocked him by saying bitterly, "Better than Natalie Warren, Drunken Slut."

Recovering somewhat, Trip started to say something, but was interrupted by Greta returning with the coffee. After she sat it down and left again, Natalie took a quick sip and started talking in a low monotone.

"I remember we had talked about several things that we were planning to do when you returned from that original mission, the one that was supposed to take two weeks at the most. Then we suddenly got word that it was going to continue and no one was sure when you would be back. Then when I never heard anything from you…"

"I'm sorry about that, it was just…"

"Don't worry about it, that was a long time ago, and guilt trips are the worst. Anyway, I was sitting around, feeling sorry for myself and a little angry at you when I ran into Frank Williams."

"Frank Williams, the Quarterback from your high school?"

"The very same. We had been a hot item before I went off to college and met you. You know, the quarterback and the cheerleader. Anyway, he always knew me pretty well and he quickly saw what was going on. He suggested we go out and party to cheer ourselves up and I decided, 'What the Hell?' Even when I was going with you, I was pushing the envelope as far as drinking goes. Anyway, I got plastered and we ended up making love in a motel." She laughed with no humor in it, "Making love! Hell, he screwed me all night. Well, the next morning I was all full of guilt and depressed. He convinced me a little more drinking would help me forget and well, let's say we didn't travel a lot for a couple days."

Trip, still shocked, interrupted, "Jees, I'm sorry, you don't need to …"

"Don't stop me, Trip, If I quit, I may never be able to continue. Where was I, oh yeah. Well, after that, I knew I had lost you and it just seemed easier to keep on drinking. Pretty soon my life consisted of sleeping all day, drinking until the bars closed and going somewhere with someone. Don't think it was ever an alien. A couple of times it was more than one. You remember sweet Mary Masterson. She and I even did it once. It was okay but I went back to men. Finally, my Mom and Dad found out what was going on. Dad confronted me at my apartment one day, told me what I was becoming and that I better straighten myself out. He even threatened to cut me off and told me I was killing my Mother. Since I have plenty of my own money, it really wasn't much of a threat. Well, you knew me back then, I could sometimes be a real bitch, especially when someone tried to tell me what to do. So, I just went out and proved how bad I really could be."

She stopped to take a few sips of her coffee. Trip tried to say something, but she waved him off and started again.

"Then, one morning, I woke up alone and naked God knows where and noticed I had several messages on my phone. Apparently, my brother had called me about every half hour all night. I called him back and he screamed at me that he had been trying to reach me all night. Mom had a massive heart attack and they didn't know how long she would last. I managed to throw something on and went to the hospital. I don't remember much about the drive except my Dad's voice saying over and over, 'You're killing your Mother'. By the time I got there, she was dead."

Trip tried to reach out and touch her hand, but she moved it away.

"I will never forget the look on my Father's face; I think he really wanted to kill me. I don't remember much after that. Evidently, my brother and his wife got me out of there. And then suddenly, I just started to bawl. No matter what they did, I just kept crying and screaming. They finally got me sedated and put me on suicide watch."

"When I woke up, Dave and Ellen were there with me. It was suddenly clear to me what I needed to do. I told them I wanted to go somewhere that I could get straightened out. Based on what I had been doing, it was not surprising they were reluctant to believe I would carry through. Finally, I convinced them that I was serious about it. They chartered a private shuttle and took me to Hillside Clinic, one of the best in the world. I was there for nine months. About the sixth month, Dad came to see me. It took six hours of talking, screaming, and crying on both sides, but we finally arrived at a place we both felt comfortable. We stated our love for each other, but understood it would never be completely the same between us. He told me he didn't think he could forgive me for what happened with Mom. I told him I didn't think I would ever forgive myself. He did tell me that when I was ready, I could come and stay with him if I wanted. Three months later, I walked out and went to live with him. He gave me a job as a clerk at the factory. Then two months ago, I moved out and found an apartment. Since leaving the clinic, I have been a good girl and sober for eight months and three days."

Suddenly, she seemed to sag and sink down into her seat.

Trip, looking concerned, "Are you alright?"

Managing a weak smile, "I had psyched myself up for so long to do this with you, now that it's over, I am very tired."

"Natalie, why did you want so bad to tell me this?"

"I had one good reason and one stupid reason. Which do you want first?"

"The good one, I guess."

"I wanted to talk to you about Elizabeth and I also wanted you to know why I sent you that Dear John Letter. Then, I knew you would hear about all this eventually and I wanted you to hear it from me."

"And the stupid reason?"

"I think I am a much better person now than I was before all this started. It's just too bad I had to hurt others and myself so much to achieve that. The funny thing is, I still love you. I told myself, go ahead and take a shot, if you don't you will always regret it. And God knows, I have plenty to regret already."

Trip, looking uncomfortable, "I just don't know about you and me."

"I understand, even with or without all this crap, we have both lived a couple lifetimes since we were together. Maybe you even have someone. The rumors were flying about you and that Vulcan.

"T'Pol. She left Starfleet and went back to Vulcan. I think I finally feel it is over. In fact, I am not even sure what it was we had. Natalie, I'm just not sure about much of anything right now."

"That's okay. I think it's time we both got some sleep. Where are you staying?"

"At the Monarch, but I can catch a cab."

"No, let me drive you, it really isn't far out of my way. Besides, you may have some trouble getting a cab at this hour." Looking at her watch, she exclaimed, "My God, it's two o'clock." Turning to call out to Greta, "Don't you usually close at one?"

Greta looked up and smiled, "I did."

As they drove toward Trip's hotel, Natalie spoke up, "I was thinking, Trip, how would you like to go out to the plant tomorrow with me? I know Dad would be excited to see you."

"I was planning to go out on a boat with Steve and Jack to do some fishing."

"Okay, but I thought you might be interested in seeing what's going on with the warp drives. Not only the sevens that are going on _Enterprise_ , but what they are looking at for the future."

"That is tempting." Then, after a hesitation, "Does this have anything to do with you and me? Your Dad's not going to think we are getting back together?"

"No, Trip, I really know Dad would shoot me if I didn't try to get you to see him. You know how much he has always liked and admired you. I will make it clear to him that it has nothing to do with you and me."

"Well, okay then. I'll call the guys and tell them I'll see them later. Are you sure you can arrange it?"

"I know he's in the office tomorrow. Let's do it this way. Let's plan for me to pick you up at nine-thirty. If that won't work out, I'll call you with any changes. Do you have a number I can reach you at?"

"Yeah, I got a communicator with me. Let me send you the number."

They arrived at the hotel. Trip got out and stood awkwardly for a moment. "Well, guess I'll see you in the morning. I'll meet you right here."

"Okay, Trip." Then, quietly, "Thanks for listening."

"No problem, thanks for trusting me enough to tell me. See you tomorrow."

She drove off. Trip watched until she was out of sight and then headed for the hotel.

As she drove, Natalie felt like a weight had been lifted from her. She decided she would stay hopeful and enjoy whatever time they can spend together.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N I still don't own any part of it. Thanks to LoErneBraska and aria1210 for their reviews. I do appreciate them and enjoy reading them.**

 **Sorry has been a while, this chapter got a little long but couldn't find a spot to stop. Also, there is a little profanity. I apologize, but seemed to fit the situation.**

When Archer had been told about the project from Admiral Gardner, he had been honest about liking the idea, but inwardly wondered if it could be done. But thanks to his friendship with Shran, things were going remarkably well. Shran had embraced the idea and Archer wondered if it was because it would give him a chance to visit Earth and perhaps be recognized for his actions in behalf of Starfleet.

Shran had announced he and Jhamel had decided to get married. She would be accompanying him to the fair and Archer realized they would probably be the star attractions.

The only problem is that Shran was a little overzealous and appeared to want to bring half the people of Andoria to Earth. They had finally decided on a maximum of twenty-five. Another possible problem arose when Shran's planned documentary of Andoria sounded like it would be as long as 'Gone with the Wind'. They finally agreed on a maximum of a half hour for that.

Once that was behind them, though, Shran was a great help in contacting Gral, and with Archer's help, getting the Tellerites on board. Apparently, they didn't want the Andorians showing them up.

After getting those two in agreement, it was relatively easy to get the Vulcans with Soval's help, as he was a strong advocate of an alliance. However, possible future problems were hinted at when Soval said T'Pau had grudgingly given her okay. Apparently, she was interested in putting the aggressive actions of the Vulcans behind her. She was even greatly reducing the size of the Vulcan military fleet.

Trip reached his room and got ready for bed. After climbing into bed, he laid there, thinking over what had just happened. He suddenly got up and dug through his Duffel bag. He pulled out a photograph in a frame, laid back on the bed, and looked at it. It was a picture of him and Natalie at the beach, he was in a swim suit and she in a bikini. Their shoulder and hips were touching and their arms were around each other's waists. Both were smiling broadly into the camera. Finally, he sat it on the table next to the bed. He stared at the ceiling for a while and then sighed as he rolled over and closed his eyes.

Trip was outside his hotel a few minutes before the designated time, but really didn't expect Natalie to be on time. In all the years he had known her, he had spent much of his time waiting for her. Thus, he couldn't help looking stunned when she arrived right on time. Seeing the look on his face, she smiled, "Just think of it as another part of the new Natalie."

He got in and they sat silently as she drove through town and then out on to the highway. She broke the silence by saying, "Dad was as excited as I thought he would be. You know, I always figured he thought of you as part of the family. I think my breaking up with you hurt him almost as much as the way I was acting."

Seeing Trip getting uncomfortable, she quickly added, "Don't worry, I told him we weren't getting back together, but that didn't stop him at all from looking forward to this visit."

Trip answered, "It will be great to see him again, too. He and your Mom were always fantastic to me whenever I came back to Florida on leave."

Then seeing her sadness at his mentioning her mother, "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"Don't be sorry, Trip, you can't be expected to never mention her."

They drove in silence for a while, when Natalie spoke again. "You won't recognize the plant when we get there. A lot of buildings have been added." Then she said, "This isn't common knowledge yet, but we have won a bid to start building the Starships themselves. He wants to build a fleet for Earth as fast as possible."

"Do you think Earth is ready to embrace a fleet? Seems like a lot of people wonder if we are moving too fast."

Natalie smiled sadly, "I don't think you realize what an affect the Xindi attack had on Earth. You experienced the one reaction in the creation of Terra Prime." She noticed the anger that crossed Trip's face and hurried on, "But the great majority of people have decided we will never get caught with our guard down again. It's the same drive that is behind the wanting to form an alliance."

Then she added, "I'm sorry about your and T'Pol's baby. I wanted to say something sooner but wasn't sure I should."

Trip smiled, "Thank you Natalie. I appreciate that."

They were silent the rest of the way. Finally, she pulled off the main highway on to a side paved road. A little further down there was a large stone sign simply saying 'Warren Enterprises'.

As they neared the main grounds ahead, Trip saw what Natalie had meant. New modern buildings stretched out ahead of them.

Natalie stopped at a guard shack that stood beside the road. A steel barrier barred the road ahead.

The guard in the shack snickered at her. "A little late this morning, aren't we? Not taking advantage of being the boss's daughter, are you?"

She gave a half smile and said, "Harry, you know very well I am bringing a guest today. Now check us in and let us get on our way. Dad's waiting for us."

The guard quickly got serious, "Sure, Miss Warren. Looking through the window, he said, "I assume this is Charles Tucker."

Natalie quickly said, "That's Commander Charles Tucker the Third."

A little nonplussed now, the guard said, 'Of course. An honor to see you, Commander."

Trip nodded and the guard quickly lowered the barrier.

"As they drove on, she said sadly with a trace of anger, "As you would probably guess, my past actions are pretty well know. It's getting better, but some people still think they need to treat me with a little less respect."

Not knowing what to say, Trip kept silent as they drove through the parking lot.

She drove until she stopped next to a state of the art shuttle, with the logo of a W with a circle around it on the door.

As they exited, Natalie said, "That's Dad's shuttle."

As they approached the main building, Trip saw there was a bank of scanners inside with Armed Guards standing around them.

"You certainly have the security."

"Well, the whole complex is top secret." After a hesitation, she added, "We also beefed it up after what happened with Terra Prime. Dad's life has been threatened on several occasions."

Trip found another reason to add to his hatred for Terra Prime. Although they had chopped off its head, everyone knew it was still a force to be reckoned with.

When they passed through security, Trip had to show his Starfleet ID and Natalie had a retina scan. They also were scanned for any weapons.

As they walked through the area, Trip looked around in not a little awe at the size of the entry area and the complete professionalism of everyone they encountered. They finally stopped at a guard sitting behind a desk in front of an elevator and stairs. Natalie explained the elevator ran directly to the tenth floor where the executive offices were and the stairs and the elevator were the only access to the floor.

Although this guard greeted her cordially, Trip could still sense a hint of condescension, which he realized angered him.

"Good morning, Nat. Hobnobbing with the big boys this morning?"

Natalie was polite, but Trip could sense that same sadness and anger in her. "Yep, but just to deliver Commander Tucker to my Dad."

Again, the Guard changed completely, "It's an honor to meet you, Commander. You two go right ahead."

As they rode the elevator up, Natalie sighed, "I hate to admit this, but he is one of the men I slept with during my… whatever. It's probably for the best we aren't getting back together because this would unfortunately happen more often than you would think."

Trip turned to her. He had been trying to think how to say something and decided this was the time. "Natalie, that stuff that happened. It has nothing to do with whether or not we get back together. As far as I am concerned, that's in the past and I do not think less of you for it."

Natalie looked at him and said, "You really mean that, don't you?"

Trip nodded, and Natalie said, tearing up a little, "You can't imagine how much that means to me." Then she gave him a quick hug which he returned.

They rode the elevator to the tenth floor which was the only stop available. Stepping out on to the floor, Trip could see there were apparently three offices with a receptionist sitting in the space in front of them.

As they approached her, she looked up and smiled, "Hi Nat, it's good to see you."

"Nice to see you too, haven't been up here for a while." Gesturing to Trip, she went on, "Mildred, this is Commander Charles Tucker. Trip, this is Mildred, the person really in charge of Warren Enterprises."

Trip smiled and said, "Hi, pleasure to meet you."

Mildred smiled and answered, "Everyone has been looking forward to seeing you." Then she whispered conspiringly, "Don't mention to Mr. Warren about me being in charge, he likes to think he is."

Trip smiled broadly, and whispered back, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

She then pushed a key on her computer and said, "Mr. Warren, Commander Tucker and Nat are here."

The door to one of the offices opened and a distinguished man in his fifties with graying hair came out. He was dressed in business casual clothes. He came up to Trip and held out his hand. As Trip shook it, he also put his hand on Trip's shoulder. He then smiled and said, "Trip, it's great to see you. Could hardly believe it when Nat said you were coming by. We are all mighty proud of what you did."

"Thank you, Mr. Warren, it's good to see you."

'None of that Mr. Warren crap, just call me Lester. Hell, with what you've accomplished, I should be calling you Commander Tucker." Turning to Nat, he said, 'Thanks for delivering him, I will let you know when we are done."

Natalie smiled, "Okay, Dad, I might as well got get some work done. See you later, Trip."

Trip answered, "Okay, Natalie."

Then Lester put his arm around Trip and brought him toward his office, "Well, come on in, I have a lot a want to talk to you about."

When they entered the office, Lester directed him toward a chair. Then he pulled up another chair and sat across from him. "Knowing you as I do, I am sure you are not overly comfortable with us all making a big deal of what you have done. But I am afraid you will have to indulge us all a little. It isn't often a group of people save a planet."

Then he got serious and said, "I just want you to know how sad we all were about your sister. I know you two were close. I was sorry to see your parents move away, but I guess they felt it was the best thing to do."

"Thanks, Mr.…Lester. It has been hard on all of us. But I got to spend some time with them before I came back here."

"That's good." Then he hesitated before going on, "Nat said she told you about everything that happened. I have to admit I was about as angry as I have ever been, but I think we are in a good place now. I hope you can somehow forgive her too."

"I am so sorry about Rose. I told Natalie how good you two were to me. As for Natalie, I don't think there is anything to forgive. That's all in the past. A lot has happened since then. I told her I didn't think less of her for it."

"I am glad to hear you feel that way." Then Lester got up, "Enough of that. I know you came to see what we are doing with Warp Drives. We can go out this way and I'll give you the grand tour."

Three hours later, they returned to the office. After asking if he needed anything and having Mildred bring them some water, Lester took a drink and asked, "Well, Trip, what do you think?"

Trip took a long drink, "It was mighty impressive. I could spend days looking at what you are doing in working to get to Warp 8. I also can't wait until we have a Warp 7 drive installed on _Enterprise_."

Lester took another drink, "Yes, we are pretty excited." Then he sat back. "But you know, Trip, you were pretty impressive yourself. I can still see the look on those engineer's faces when you discussed the drives with them. You gave them a better education in the last couple hours about how warp engines really work than all their schooling and experience put together. I've always admired you, but I never fully realized what a genius you are."

Seeing Trip blush a little and that he was about to say something, Lester continued, "And I don't want any false modesty. Beside the fact you probably are more knowledgeable about Warp drives than any one on Earth, you have by far the most experience actually seeing them in action. We all heard about your Cold Start. I know no one else on Earth could have done it, and wonder if even a Vulcan could have done it any better."

Trip, still looking a little embarrassed, "Well, that is high praise indeed coming from you." Trip knew that Lester Warren had been a good engineer in his own right. Henry Archer was the creative force behind the Warp 5 engines, but Lester Warren was the one who set up the means to produce them. He went on, "And you're right, no one has more experience in seeing how they work in the field, or had to do more improvisation to make them work. It certainly is nothing you can learn in a lab."

Lester sat back and seemed to be making a decision. Then he leaned forward, "Trip, I am going to make you a proposition. I know you will not be interested now, but I want you to consider it for the future. I want you to be my right-hand man. I want you to be completely in charge of our Warp projects for now and in the future. I know money isn't of great importance to you, but you could write your own ticket." Again, a small hesitation, "And I want you to be the one to succeed me at Warren Enterprises."

Trip was completely floored. He was speechless. Finally, he got out, "I don't know what to say. There must be someone here who could do that job for you. And don't you want leave the business to Natalie?"

"There is no one that is better qualified to take over than you. Everyone is not aware of this but I am a strong backer of President's Samuels' drive to create an Alliance. I am a strong believer that Earth has a major part to play in the future of the Galaxy. For that it will need the finest ships ever built and I want Warren Enterprises to be a part of that. I believe you are the man to get us started on that path."

Then Trip looked embarrassed again, 'I'm sorry, but I have to ask this, this doesn't have anything to do with Natalie and me, does it?"

Lester smiled at him and then said seriously, "You know, Trip, that nothing would make me happier than for you and Natalie to get together. I would be honored to have you as a son-in-law. But, no, this has nothing to do with the two of you. I am offering you this because you are the one man I believe can provide what is needed."

Trip sat back. "As you said, for now I plan to stay with Starfleet. But, who knows what the future holds. If the time comes, and you still want me, I would be willing to give it a shot. But I think there's got to be someone who would be better suited. You may be overestimating me."

Lester smiled, "The job is here when you want it. And you are the right man."

An hour later, Natalie and Trip were back on the highway, heading back to the city. Natalie asked, "Well?"

Trip, still a little stunned from what Lester had said, "Well, What?"

Looking a little exasperated, "What did you think? Pretty impressive huh?"

"Yeah, it was all pretty amazing."

"Are you all right Trip, you seem kind of out of it."

"Your father offered me a job as the one in charge of the entire warp project. Then he said he would like to have me succeed him as head of Warren Enterprises."

Natalie just stared at him, "Wow."

Trip smiled, "Yeah, wow."

"Are you going to take him up on his offer?"

"I have no plans to leave Starfleet, but I told him I would take a shot at it if things change."

They both were silent as they drove back to the city. Each lost in their own thoughts. As they neared his hotel, Trip realized he wasn't ready to just walk away from Natalie. A little hesitantly, he asked, "When I told the guys I wasn't going on the boat today, they said there was going to be a party on the beach tonight." Another pause, "Would you like to come down?"

Natalie was surprised and tried to hide how happy it made her, "Sure, sounds like fun. Hope they have something nonalcoholic."

"I'll be sure there is something for you. Sounds like was going to start about eight o'clock. Do you want to pick me up?"

"Yeah, no problem."

A night of swimming, partying, and walking along the beach, made Trip remember how much he enjoyed being with Natalie and how much he loved her laugh and smile. He couldn't help thinking of T'Pol and wondering whether she would have ever done either with him. At the end of the night, he asked Natalie if she would like to keep getting together. She quickly assured him that would suit her just fine. She also told him she was taking some time off from work and would be willing to spend whatever time with him he wanted.

For the next few weeks, they were practically inseparable. It was apparent though that Trip wasn't quite ready to become seriously involved. They grew to hand holding and goodnight kisses, but nothing remotely intimate. Natalie was disappointed, but then realized how lucky she was to spend this time with him.

As for Trip, he wasn't sure what was holding him back. Maybe he had just gotten afraid. So much had happened to both of them since they were last together. He knew he had changed in the Expanse. Then he wasn't sure what was going to happen. There were so many scenarios that could play out. He didn't want to make Natalie a Starfleet widow. He also felt he needed to consider the possibility this was just in response to what happened with T'Pol.

Then one night, they were walking back to Natalie's car from attending a movie, when a large, heavy set man walking toward them, stopped, looked at Natalie, then stepped in front of them. It is apparent he had been drinking. He insolently said to Natalie, "Hi, Honey, how have you been?"

Natalie, trying to move around him, "Do I know you?"

Laughing nastily, the man answered, "Yeah, I guess you could say you KNOW me." Then leering at her, "If knowing me is the same as screwing me."

Then, Trip stepped between the two, "I think you have had a little too much to drink. Why don't you just keep going wherever you were headed?"

Looking down at him, the man sneered, "Settle down, pretty boy, I was just saying hello to one of the best lays I ever had. Don't let the night go by without one of her patented…"

Trip punched him hard in the stomach. As he doubled over in pain, Trip whispered in his ear, "You don't look so good, maybe you should sit down." He took him to a bench on the sidewalk and placed him on it. Then he took Natalie's arm and they walked off.

Natalie, embarrassed, "God, Trip, I'm sorry about that. But, I'm afraid that won't be the last time. I know you once said it was okay, but…maybe you should reconsider about us seeing each other."

Trip suddenly made a decision, "You know, I was thinking I've never seen your apartment. Why don't we go over there so you can give me a tour?"

Natalie, stammering, "My… apartment?"

Squeezing her arm, "Yes, I would really like to see it."

Natalie, gratefully, put her hands on his arm, "Sure, Trip, it may be a little messy though."

The next morning, Natalie awoke to find herself naked under a sheet and Trip sitting on the side of the bed fully dressed.

Natalie smiled at him, "Good morning, what time is it?"

"It's eight o'clock."

"How long have you been up? You should have woke me."

"Since about five." As Natalie looked incredulously at him, he added, "I've gotten used to getting by on little sleep."

Natalie stretched languidly as the sheet fell away, smiling to herself as she caught Trip watching her moving parts.

She smiled warmly at him said, "It has been a long time since I have made love." She leans over and gives him a soft kiss on his mouth, and with her face still close to his, whispers, "Thank you."

As she pulled her head back, Trip answered, "For what?"

"For being so gentle and making me feel beautiful and loved."

"Your welcome." Then he smiled, "Although it wasn't exactly torture for me."

Natalie gave a bawdy laugh, "You did seem to be enjoying yourself."

Then Trip rose and said, "Now get out of bed and get dressed. I'm taking you to breakfast and then Ta Ta to Bradley Park."

"To ride the Roller Coaster?"

"The very same."

"Say, they have a new exhibit and I thought of you when I heard about it, we have to be sure to see it." She got up naked and headed for the bathroom.

Trip admiringly watched her go, "What is it?"

"No, that would ruin the surprise."

Calling after her as she went into the bathroom, "I took a shower, I hope you don't mind."

"My shower is your shower, I just hope you left some hot water!"

Later, Trip and Natalie were exiting through a gate with a sign behind them declaring, 'World's Largest Roller Coaster'.

Trip grimaced a little, "Think I'm getting too old for this."

Natalie laughed and grabbed his arm, "You're not too old, you're just a wimp. You couldn't handle it four years ago. You'd think a man who flies in a Spaceship could stand a little vertigo."

"Leave me alone, woman, I'd like to see how you would fare in No-G training."

Natalie leaned in to whisper to him, "I've heard that sex can be very interesting floating in space."

Trip leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, "I may have to check into that."

Giggling, Natalie stepped away from him, "Are you sure you're not too old for that too."

Trip chased after her and caught her, "We'll see who's too old. Wait until I get you back in bed."

"Promises, Promises."

"All right, now where is this new exhibit you were so hot to show me."

Natalie grabbed his hand and took off, "I think it's this way."

They walked through the park holding hands. Natalie suddenly pointed and moved faster, pulling him along."

She exclaimed, "There it is!"

She had led him to an exhibit consisting of a large game booth that looked like Enterprise. There was a line of kids waiting to go inside. There were life size cutouts of Archer, T'Pol, and Tucker. There were signs that said, 'FIGHT THE XINDI', 'SAVE THE EARTH', 'FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION'. There were pictures of Reptilian Xindi holding Earth women and a picture of the Earth exploding.

Natalie smiled at him, "Isn't it just too wild?"

Then she realized Trip was standing back, a look of horror on his face. Suddenly he turned, tore his hand from hers and walked quickly away. She hurried after him, "Trip, what's wrong? Wait up."

She caught up to him, but he kept walking, forcing her to speed up to stay with him. "Trip, talk to me, what the Hell is going on?"

Trip turned to face her, his face pale and strained, "Just get me out of here!" He then moved faster.

Natalie grabbed his hand to stop him. "OK, OK, the car's this way."

He allowed her to lead him. Setting a fast pace, they reached the parking lot and got into the car. Looking at him and seeing he was not ready to talk, she started the car and drove out of the park. After they had drove for a time, she turned to him, "Are you ready to tell me what that was all about?"

Trip looked up at her briefly, then lowered his head back down and spoke softly, "When we get to your apartment." They drove on.

They entered Natalie's apartment and Trip sank into a chair. Natalie asked, "Do you want water or something?"

"Yeah, you got a coke?"

She went to the refrigerator and got him one. Handing it to him, she sat down on the couch across from him. Trip took a long drink. "Why the Hell did you take me to that? Don't you know that is the last thing I want to think about?"

Natalie looked surprised, "It's just a game, I thought you'd get a kick out of it."

"It wasn't no damn game! We had no business being out there! We had no idea what we were getting into. He looked up at her and spoke softer, "Can you imagine the pressure we were under? All we had was the future of the whole damn human race in our hands."

Taking another drink, he sat back. "We were beaten, Hell, another few minutes of the attack and we'd all been dead. We'd failed! We'd let Earth down! We thought Jon was dead and we were soon going to be. Do you know who saved us? Do you know who our White Knight was? The same guy who built the weapon, the man who killed Lizzy! How damn weird is that?"

He took another drink and wearily wiped his hand across his forehead, then ran it through his hair. "Jon brought him aboard. There he was right in front of me. I knew he was our only hope, Jon had made that clear."

He looked up, into her eyes, "Do you want to know what good old Trip did? I yelled at him, told him he killed my sister." Smiling ruefully, "Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Jon and T'Pol had to tell me to take it easy."

Natalie, stunned at Trip's outburst, asked, "How did…he react?"

"That was what was weird, he seemed embarrassed, remorseful, and later he apologized."

"You shouldn't feel bad about that, maybe you helped, putting a face to what he'd done."

Trip contemplated that, "Maybe you're right."

Then he lowered his head and added quietly, "Natalie, Jon…we did some things…"

Natalie reached over and lifted his head to look into his eyes, "Trip Tucker, I know you and I know Jonathan Archer. If you did anything, it's because you had to, and I know as a member of the planet you saved; whatever you did, I'm damn glad you did it!"

Then, as she continued to look into his eyes, she said, "I've wanted to tell you this, but I know how you feel about being treated as a hero. Trip, you saved us, you saved Mankind. Don't you have any idea what that means? Not just the billions that live here now, but the unknown gazillions to be born. Not only their lives, but what they will accomplish. You're a good man, Trip, and whether you like it or not, you're a God damned hero!" She then sat back.

Trip smiled tenderly at her, By God, woman. All right, I'm a God damned hero."

He finished the Coke, put the bottle down and avoided her eyes. "She saved me, Natalie. I was a mess. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't accept Lizzy was dead. I knew we were doomed. I knew we never get home. We helped each other. She was there for me when nobody else was."

Natalie reached out and touched his hand, "I'm glad Trip, I'm glad someone was there for you."

Trip put his hand on hers and looked up at her, "We made love, Natalie. I…loved her. Then, when Elizabeth…the baby died, it was like we lost a daughter…"

"It's all right, I understand, she's very beautiful. I can't say that I wish it had worked out because then I wouldn't be here with you now. But I am glad that you had someone to love, that you had someone to be with. I'm pleased you were able to help each other."

Trip straightened up, removed his hands and placed them on her face, "I'm glad I'm here with you." He stretched over and kissed her softly on the lips, "I love you, Natalie."

As she felt herself tearing up, she got up and gave him a big hug, "I love you, too."

After a long hug, Trip stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair, "I feel tired, I think I'd like to rest for a bit."

Natalie pulled him with her, leading him into the bedroom. The bed was still unmade. She pulled the covers back and lowered him to the bed. She lifted his feet up and took off his shoes and socks. She then undid his belt and pulled his pants off. She then took off her shoes and crawled in next to him, spooning around his waist and pulled the covers over them.

As the next weeks passed, Trip and Natalie grew even more closely together. But the specter of the end of Trip's leave loomed over Natalie. She felt blessed, she had more that she had ever hoped for when she had sought him out, but she wondered what would happen when he returned to his world. To the life that had not included her. Then there was the fact that who knew what he would be doing when _Enterprise_ was rebuilt, how long he would be gone.

Trip was amazed at how easy it had been to get back with Natalie. He realized he had never really quit loving her. He loved the times he spent with her. He knew he didn't want history to repeat itself, he didn't want to lose her again.

There were only four days left until Trip needed to be back to San Francisco when he and Natalie went shopping for a present for her Dad's birthday. It ended up Trip accompanying her as she shopped for herself. Finally, Trip suggested they go to the diner for lunch. He wanted to let Greta buy him the lunch she had offered.

Natalie was a little surprised, but quickly agreed. As they entered the Diner, they saw Greta talking to customers at one of the tables. When she looked up and saw them, she excused herself and headed over to meet them. "Well, look who's here, about time you decided to visit again. Just sit down, the same booth is open."

Natalie grimaced a little, "If you don't mind, we'll try a new one today." Gesturing to one by the window, "This will do fine."

Greta smiled, "Okay, just sit down and I'll be with you in a second."

They sat down across from each other, Natalie putting her packages under the table. They each picked up a menu as Greta returned and said, "Well, what have you been up to today?"

Natalie answered, "Just doing a little shopping."

"Okay, what will you have, and remember, it's on the house."

Trip spoke first, "I'll have the House Special and one of your Strawberry Shakes."

Natalie added, "Just get me a Hamburger and a Chocolate Shake."

Greta left, saying, "Okay, be back with the Shakes."

Natalie, looking out the window, "Hard to believe Dad's going to be sixty. Seems like we were just kidding him on being fifty."

Trip answered, "I know what you mean. Dad's almost sixty-five."

Greta returned with the shakes. They both took a sip from their straws.

Trip smiled to himself, 'Well here we go.' Taking a breath, he said, "Well, have you thought of anything yet you can get your Dad for his birthday"

Natalie sighed, "No, and as you can imagine, there's nothing he doesn't have. He doesn't really have any hobbies or play any sports. All he does is work."

"Well, I was thinking, how about if we told him that his favorite future son-in-law and his beautiful daughter were getting married?" As he said that, he reached in his pocket and handed Natalie a ring box.

Natalie was stunned. She took the box and opened it, seeing the diamond ring inside. "Trip, you mean…"

Trip put his hand on her arm, "If you'll have me."

Excited, Natalie jumped up and embraced him as he rose to return the embrace. "Oh God, YES, Trip, YES."

They exchanged a long kiss. They sat back down and Trip took out the ring and put it on her finger.

Greta came over with a huge smile on her face, "Hey, what's going on? You can't carry on like that in here!"

Natalie held up her hand, showing the ring, "We're engaged!"

Greta smiled even more broadly, "Congratulations, Nat, I have hoped I would see this for a long time." She turned to Trip, "Congratulations to you too, this is really wonderful."

She looked around at the other three occupied tables in the diner, "What the Hell, lunch is on me for everybody." As the other patrons clapped and cheered, Greta reached down and gave Natalie a hug.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N I still don't own anything.**

 **Thanks to Mojo01, EroSlackerMicha, LoErneBraska, and aria1210 for their reviews. I really do enjoy reading them and appreciate your input. Thanks also to all the rest of you who are staying with me.**

The next four days were a flurry of activity. First notifying Lester, who was of course delighted. They then flew to Mississippi to share the news with Trip's parents. They were of course quite surprised, but saw how happy they were together. Natalie decided she didn't want to be separated again, and announced she would go back to San Francisco with Trip.

After spending a little time with her brother and his wife, they traveled to San Francisco. After getting Natalie settled into Trip's apartment, Natalie accompanied him as he went to report back for duty. As _Enterprise_ was mostly just a shell, waiting for all the new enhancements, Starfleet had set up a small compound near the Shuttle pad. It contained an eating area, a game room, bathrooms, and a few beds. They found that Natalie could not go up to _Enterprise_ but was welcome at the compound.

Trip and Natalie found their way to the mess hall. He was gratified to see that Chef was back in charge. After introducing Chef to Natalie, they grabbed two cups of coffee and found a table. The mess hall was practically empty, with just a few workmen, who Trip acknowledged with a nod.

Just after they settled in, Malcolm, Travis, and Hoshi came through the door. Excited to see each other, the others joined them at the table, looking inquisitively at Natalie.

Trip spoke up, "Natalie, this is Malcom Reed, Travis Mayweather, and Hoshi Sato. Guys, this is Natalie Warren."

Natalie smiled, "Nice to see you, but of course I recognized all of you at once. It is an honor to meet you."

Seeing a little trepidation on their faces, she continued, "Don't worry, I promise not to engage in any hero worship."

Then there was a slightly awkward silence, as no one knew exactly how to proceed. Then Trip broke it, "Natalie and I go way back. Do you remember that Dear John letter I got soon after we started on that first mission?"

Malcolm, looking a little stunned, "This is…"

Trip continued, "Yes, Natalie from Pensacola."

Hoshi joined in, "Appears you got it straightened out."

Natalie could no longer resist, "Yeah, in fact," as she showed the ring, "We're engaged."

To say everyone was shocked would be a huge understatement. Hoshi was the first to recover. She rose and went over to hug Trip, "Congratulations, I am so happy for you." Then she hugged Natalie as well. "Congratulations to you too."

As Natalie and Trip thanked her, Malcolm and Travis had recovered enough to give their congratulations as well. Before anyone could comment further, Trip changed the subject, "How about you guys? How were your leaves?" Then remembering where Malcolm had gone, he looked a little embarrassed.

Malcolm saved him by saying, "After my Father died, I came back here. I have been studying the specs for everything for the new ship."

Travis spoke up, "Hoshi and I took our walking tour. It was great. The views were amazing."

Trip and Natalie noticed that Hoshi seemed to be blushing a little, and they decided they would have to follow up on that later. Trip continued, "How about the Captain? Do we know what his special job was?"

Malcolm spoke up, "Yeah, it's really kind of exciting and interesting. He was put in charge of setting up a series of what they are calling Fairs on Earth, Andoria, The Teller, and Vulcan. They want to let each of the planets meet some regular citizens of the other planets. In fact, the one on Earth is going to take place in just a few days. When I got back, Captain Archer had me work with him on developing Security plans."

Hoshi went on, "Gral, Shran, and Soval are heading up the groups from their respective planets. And, oh, Shran and Jhamel got married and she is accompanying him. Gral and Soval are bring their families also."

Before Trip could ask further, Travis spoke up, looking at the entrance, "Speaking of Captain Archer, don't look, but he just came in."

Of course, everyone looked. Captain Archer saw them and with a big smile, headed for their table. As he arrived he said, "It's great to see you all." Then noticing Natalie, he smiled and said, "It's good to see you again, Natalie, it's been a while."

Natalie smiled warmly, "It's great to see you again, Jon." Then she smirked, 'I know I said I wasn't going to do any hero worship, but I can't help it." Looking up at Archer, she said, "I just need to say that I and the whole world owe you our gratitude." Then she smiled, 'Ok, now your just Jon again."

Archer smiled and said, "Thanks Natalie, that was the most heartfelt and quickest moment of adoration I have ever received."

He continued, "I was hoping to find you all here. Hope you are ready to work, there is a lot to be done. I wish I could do it with you but will have to spend time on this Fair thing for a while. Trip, you're in charge. I'll be checking in with you as much as I can."

Trip answered, "Yes, Sir. Malcolm was telling me about these Fairs. Sounds like a lot of work. But, sounds like it will be very interesting as well. Would love to see Shran in action again."

Archer smirked, "Yeah, think he will be a handful. Will be interesting to see if he has changed at all now that he is married."

Then Trip turned more serious. "Captain, is it possible I could have a few minutes of your time alone, I have some things I'd like to discuss with you."

"Actually, Trip, I have some time now. They have a meeting room, why don't we go there?"

Then Archer turned to the others, "Will you excuse us?"

Hoshi answered, "No problem. We were all planning to go the 602 club. Do you guys want to join us when you're done?"

Archer answered, "I wish I could, but I have a meeting with Admiral Gardner."

Trip spoke up, "That sounds good to me, how about you, Natalie?"

"I'd love to."

Travis, as they got up to leave, "Okay, see you there. Good to see you, Captain. Good luck with your fairs."

Archer joined Trip and Natalie as they rose. "Thanks, will be staying in touch."

Everyone said their goodbyes as the group headed out and Archer led the way to the meeting room.

Entering the room, they sat around the table as Archer closed the door.

Archer spoke first, "Well, Trip, what's up?"

Trip smiled and had Natalie hold out her hand, "First of all, Natalie and I are engaged."

Archer was stunned, but hid it reasonably well, "Well, congratulations to both of you. I am really happy for you two." Archer was also surprised at another reaction. He realized it made him happy because it meant it was apparently definitely over for Trip and T'Pol. It made him realize how much he missed her and what she did mean to him.

Trip went on, "I wanted to talk to you about when would be a good time for the wedding. I know we will be tied up for some time with _Enterprise_." He hesitated slightly, "Also, I would want you to be my best man."

"I would be honored, Trip. But, that means you will have to wait until these Fairs are over. The date is up to you of course, but I think it would be better to wait until at least December."

"That's about when we were thinking. We'll get in contact with everyone and pick a date." He hesitated again, "Captain, do you know what is going on with T'Pol, is she coming back?"

"I don't know, Trip. I talked to Soval and he told me she is living in her Mother's house. He said she is meditating and fasting, preparing herself for this ritual she is planning to take. He said it could take months. I asked if he thought it was possible I could see her when I am on Vulcan for the last Fair. He said he didn't know, but would send her a message to ask her if she was willing to meet me. He said she probably wouldn't even read it until she was done with the ritual."

Natalie held out a card, "We prepared a special wedding invitation for her. We really hope she can come. I would really like for us to have a chance to be friends; to let her know how much she meant to Trip and how she helped him."

Archer felt a quick tinge of jealously, then dismissed it. "If I get to see her, I will give it to her, and do my best to have her attend and come back to _Enterprise_."

Trip, holding Natalie's hand, 'Thanks, Captain."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, that's what I wanted to discuss."

"Well, I had better go see the Admiral. Congratulations again, I am really happy that you two have got together. After the Fair on Earth, maybe we can get together before I leave for Andoria."

Natalie, as they rose to leave, "Thanks again, Jon, and I hope we can."

As they went out the door, Trip turned toward Archer, "Thanks for agreeing to be my best man. It wouldn't ever be the same without you there."

"Thanks for asking me. And if it is humanly possible, I will be there. See you later."

Trip and Natalie arrived at the 602 club and Trip received waves and hellos from the patrons that were there. Ruby came up and gave Trip a hug. "It's great to see you, Trip." She looked questioningly at Natalie.

"Hi, Ruby, you remember Natalie, she came in a couple of times with me when I was still in training."

"Of course, it's been a long time. Glad to meet you again."

Natalie smiled, "Thanks, Ruby."

"They're waiting for you at that table over there."

Ruby followed them to the table where the rest had a beer in front of them. As they sat down, Ruby asked, "What can I get you. As I remember, Trip, you usually just have whatever's on tap."

While Trip nodded his okay, Natalie asked, "Do you have a Coke?"

Ruby nodded, and said "Sure, will be right back."

The others looked quizzically at each other but let it go.

Malcolm, taking a drink from his mug, asked, "Well, Natalie, we know you knew Trip back in the day. How did you guys meet?"

Natalie answered, "I was a senior at USC and they used to send some of the Starfleet guys down to take certain engineering courses. Trip and I were in the same class. It's strange that we both came from Florida and met in California."

Travis asked, "So, you were interested in Engineering? You and Trip end up in the same field?"

Natalie laughed, "No, actually, I was more of a party girl in those days, but my Dad insisted I take some engineering courses."

Trip smiled warmly at her, "She may have been a party girl but she and I constantly competed to be the best in the class. I beat her out, but just barely."

Natalie reached out and touched his hand, "That was one of the few courses I took seriously, because I wanted to impress you."

Ruby arrived back at the table and gave Trip and Natalie their drinks.

Malcolm raised his hand, "I got those. I bought the first round." He raised his mug, "To the happy couple!" They all took a drink.

Ruby looked a little bewildered, "What's going on? What's the occasion?"

Trip, as Natalie showed Ruby her ring, "Natalie and I are engaged."

Ruby smiled broadly, "Well, congratulations." Turning to Natalie, "You must be something special, never thought anyone would get this one to the altar." Looking at Malcolm, "Keep your money Malcolm, this next round is on the house." Turning back to Trip and Natalie, "When's the date?"

Trip answered, "Not exactly sure. Have to see what my orders are going to be. Will probably be back in Florida."

Ruby started to leave, "Well, I'd better get back to work. Good luck to both of you."

Both Trip and Ruby thanked her.

Travis spoke up, "So, Natalie, you liked Trip right away. How about you Trip, was it love at first sight?" Then he smiled, "Looking at Natalie, I am sure there was something at first sight."

Natalie smiled back at him, "Thanks Travis, but actually, I think he was more attracted to my last name and the fact my father had the contract for the new Warp drives."

Looking as if something just struck him, Malcolm asked, "Wait a minute, Warren? Your father is Lester Warren?"

Natalie answered as she took a drink, "That's him."

Malcolm shook his head, "Beauty, brains, and billions. Damn it, Trip, what the bloody hell is it about you that you deserve a woman like that?"

Trip smiled and looked at Natalie, "Just lucky I guess," and then grinned at the others, "And my southern charm."

Malcolm smirked, "Well, Natalie, if you ever get tired of that good old boy façade and are looking for a more sophisticated type, keep me in mind."

Natalie smiled and caressed Trip's cheek, "I will Malcolm, but I'm afraid I'm hooked on this good old boy."

Then, Travis looking a little puzzled, asked, "Okay, I know I'm always out of the loop, but who is Lester Warren?"

Hoshi looked at him tenderly, "Boy, you Boomers really were kept in the dark. He just happens to be the owner of Warren Enterprises and one of the richest men in the World. Right now, he's involved in the process of creating the next level of Warp drives." She thought ruefully to herself, 'That explains the Simon Borman jeans and I guess that shoulder bag definitely isn't a knockoff'.

Just then, two men came up to the table. Both were obviously drunk, and one seemed to be trying to hold the other back.

Refusing to be held back, Parker spoke sarcastically, "Well, here they are, everyone's heroes, the mighty crew of _Enterprise_."

Trip looked up at him, "Parker, I think you've had too much to drink, why don't you call it a night?"

Parker, still resisting the other man's attempt to drag him away, "Easy there, COMMANDER, Ruby said you got engaged and I just had to come over and see the lucky woman."

Malcolm rose a little in his chair, "Okay, Parker, you've seen her, now maybe you should go with your friend."

Parker ignored Malcolm, "She sure is a pretty one. What's the matter, Tucker, did that Vulcan dump you? Or did she just freeze your prick off when you stuck it in her?"

Trip got to his feet, "You better shut it, Parker."

Parker pushed his friend back, "Or what? I hear she wanted to get away from you so bad, she had to go home. Too bad she didn't get involved with a real man who could satisfy her, instead of some second-rate engineer, who had to suck Archer's dick to get on _Enterprise_."

Trip started to take a swing at him, but a Bouncer stepped between them as Ruby came up, "Cut it out! You know I don't allow fighting in here." Turning to the man who'd been struggling with Parker, "Ron, get him out of here. Parker, maybe you should stay away until you learn to handle your booze."

When Parker continued to resist, Ruby said, "Mike, help Ron get him out of here." The Bouncer took his arm and the two walked off with him.

Ruby turned to Trip, "Damnit Trip, you should know better that letting that idiot get to you. Now sit down."

Trip sat down, "You didn't hear what he said,"

Ruby smirked, "Hell, everyone heard what he said. We all know he hates you Trip. No one is going to put any stock in what he says. And, don't worry, I'll put a word in with his commanding officer about what happened tonight. Believe me, he'll live to regret it."

Trip ran his hand through his hair, "I guess you're right, Ruby, but he caught me off guard, saying those things about T'Pol."

Ruby nodded, "It's okay, Trip, I guess it would be pretty hard not to want to knock his block off. How about another round?"

Malcolm looked concernedly at Trip, "That sounds fine. Trip, are you okay?"

Trip looked at Natalie, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Then Hoshi interrupted, "I need to go to the Lady's room. Want to join me, Natalie?"

Natalie, still looking at Trip, "Yeah, sure."

As they entered the room and Natalie saw they were alone, asked, "What the hell was that all about?"

"I thought you might be curious and wasn't sure how much Trip wants to talk about it. Parker was in training at the same time Trip was, but he was about a year ahead. He was considered quite a whiz of an engineer, and everyone kind of assumed, including Parker, that he would be the Chief Engineer on the first Warp 5 ship. Well, then Trip came along and I assume you know how he stuck his neck out for Captain Archer when he and A.G. practically stole that test ship."

"Yeah, I thought they were crazy."

"Well, Parker thought they would kick them all out, including Trip. But not only didn't they do that, when Jon was named the first Warp 5 captain, he chose Trip for his Chief Engineer. You can imagine what Parker thought of that. He screamed it was just friendship and he was twice the engineer Trip was. I guess he did have a point that they were friends, but I know how Jon felt about being the first Warp 5 Captain and he picked Trip because he thought he was the best one for the job."

"So, Parker blames Trip for not being on _Enterprise_."

"Yeah, but then it got worse for him because he just wouldn't let it go. He started to drink too much and got sloppy. If he had kept his cool, I'm pretty sure they would have picked him for _Columbia_. But they passed over him again. He of course blames it all on Trip. Since then he's been in one mess after another. They broke him down to Ensign a few months ago. If Ruby does tell his commander, this could be the last straw."

"Do you think he would try to hurt Trip, or me?"

"I don't know. He has never been really violent, any damage he has done, he's done to himself. But if he is completely kicked out… I would suggest you guys just avoid him. It's not like you will be traveling in the same circles. Now, excuse me, I really do have to go."

As Hoshi came back out and washed her hands, Natalie asked quietly, "Hoshi, do you think Trip still has feelings for T'Pol?"

"You can probably answer that better than I can, but no, I don't think so in the way you mean. You have to understand, we have all been through a lot together, especially in the Expanse. We literally had only each other to count on. You add that to the fact we all thought we were going to die, and you have some pretty strong bonds of friendship formed. I think they can sometimes cause confusion as to exactly how you feel about someone. I'm sure it contributed to how Trip felt about T'Pol. I'm kind of confused about Travis and me myself. I do know that each of us would do anything we could for any of the others. I think we're especially conscious of when anyone attacks T'Pol because she's a Vulcan. To us, she is much more than that. She would probably say it is illogical, but we kind of feel protective of her. I guess, you can say, we're like a family."

Natalie smirked, "Didn't realize I had so many in-laws."

Hoshi smiled back, "At least none of us is a mother-in-law." She hesitated, then looked Natalie in the eye, "Don't worry Natalie, we're all just thrilled for Trip. Believe me, you're the most important thing to him. But, if you guys ever need us, we'll be there."

"We gave a special wedding invitation to Jon to give to T'Pol if he gets to see her. I really hope she comes back and we can be friends."

"Yeah, we all miss her. But, if I know Jonathan Archer, he'll do whatever he can to bring her back."

"Well, I suppose we better get back, they're probably wondering what the hell happened to us."

Hoshi grinned, "Tell you what, I'll bet you a credit that one of them says, we were afraid you fell in."

"No one says that anymore, I'll take the bet.

As they returned to the table, Travis looked up, "About time you got back, we were afraid you had fallen in."

Hoshi rolled her eyes as she and Natalie laughed.

Travis, bewildered "Now, what did I say?"

Hoshi laid her arm softly on his shoulder, "Nothing, Travis, just don't ever change."

Travis, still confused, "All right."


	10. Chapter 10

**I still own nothing.**

 **I want to apologize for the horrendous delay. I have just started a new job and have spent time training and traveling. Will try to do better as get settled in. Appreciate your patience.**

 **Thank you to EroSlackerMicha, ShanRQuinn, Mojo01, LoErneBraska, and aria1210 for your reviews. I really appreciate your input. I also want to give a nod to Guest, my first ever negative review. I do welcome your making the effort to do so. But since your only point is that Archer and T'Pol do not belong together, I am afraid we will have to agree to disagree.**

The day before the Fair, Archer made his last inspection of the site. It was the facility for the world rugby championships and normally held twenty thousand spectators; but for security reasons, it had been reconfigured to hold ten thousand. Of course, it would also be broadcast live for everyone on Earth to see.

His main concern was security and he was thankful again that Malcom had been available to do the planning. Starfleet Security would provide the physical presence at the stadium while a contingent of MACOs were in shuttles, ready to render aid in case of a large attack. There even was a small squad from the mostly ceremonial Terran Army.

After satisfying himself that everything was in place, he headed for a nearby hotel that had been taken over as a place for the visiting aliens to stay. Each of the visiting planets had their own floor with the bottom floor given over to security forces. Although Archer wished it could be different, he had reluctantly agreed that all the visitors would stay within the hotel grounds, surrounded by a security fence. They need to avoid any incident with Terra Prime or their sympathizers.

As he entered the compound, having passed through a retina scan, he headed for the hotel where he was to meet Soval, Shran, Gral and their families for a last meeting. Then he would also meet all the regular citizens each planet had brought.

As he neared the hotel entrance, he was a little surprised to see Shran and Jhamel walking toward him along one of the paths that ran inside the compound. He was even more surprised to see that Jhamel was wearing an Earth style dress that left her arms bare and finished just below her knees. Having never seen her in anything but her cold weather clothes, he had thought she was pretty, but seeing her like this, he realized she was beautiful. Her skin was flawlessly white with just a touch of blue.

Just then, Shran spotted him and they picked up the pace toward him. "Hey, Pinkskin, it is good to see you." Noticing that Archer had been looking toward his wife, he smirked and added, "What do you think of my wife, am I not a lucky man?" Archer was bemused when he saw that Jhamel suddenly had a blue blush to her cheeks.

"You certainly are, Shran. In fact, I really can't believe someone as nice and beautiful as her ever agreed to marry you."

Jhamel blushed a little more and said, "It may be hard to believe, Captain, but I think I am the lucky one."

Archer smiled and said, "Well, in any case, you certainly look comfortable."

"It is so warm. I could hardly wear my normal clothes." She smiled and went on, "I could get used to this."

Archer showed a little concern, "Aren't you afraid you may get sunburned? After all, you are not used to being exposed to this heat."

She smiled back, "It seems that Andorians do not have the pigments that allow sunburn or tanning."

Shran then spoke up, "Well, we need to get to the meeting. Although, we should show up late just to bug Soval."

Archer chuckled, but said, "That is tempting, but I think we should be on time."

Shran answered, "I suppose you're right."

When they entered the conference room, they found the others waiting. Gral was with his wife Margot and his adult son Hatel. Margot was every bit as ugly as her husband, but Archer had discovered she did not have the need to be belligerent and argumentative, in fact, she was quite friendly and gracious. Gral greeted them, "I am glad this thing is about over, I will be glad to return home and not be treated like a prisoner."

For once, Archer had no comeback, since he agreed with Gral. But he knew Gral was expecting something. "It has only been a few days and you don't seem to have suffered to any great degree."

Margot spoke up, "We know it is for our own protection. It is just unfortunate we have not been able to explore your world."

Archer answered sadly, "I apologize for that, perhaps these fairs will be a step toward making that possible in the future."

Soval joined in, "I believe that there is a good chance that could occur. Since the defeat of Terra Prime's attempt to drive all aliens from Earth, I have noticed an improvement in the overall attitude of Earth toward extra-terrestrials." But he then added, "It is clear we have a way to go."

Archer looked at Soval's wife. She was a striking woman, a living epitome of how a Vulcan was perceived to look. Slightly taller than her husband, she had striking cheekbones and carried herself proudly at all times. Although she seemed cold, he had found that she could also be cordial and often even warm during the time he had visited their home. They had also brought their grandson, who was about ten years old. Archer was struck by how much they were like grandparents everywhere when it came to their grandchild. He realized that would change as the boy grew older and learned how a Vulcan must behave.

Shran spoke up, "We probably should proceed with the meeting. We still have to meet with the others."

Archer agreed, and began, "All right, I just want to go over how the schedule is set up for tomorrow, and see if any one has any questions or problems. We plan to have you leave from here via shuttle at noon. When we get to the stadium, you will be escorted to seats between the crowd and the stage."

"President Samuels will open the proceedings with a short welcoming speech, and then you will each proceed with your introductions and presentations."

"Andoria will go first, then The Teller, and then Vulcan. After you…"

Gral interrupted, "Why is Andoria going first? Are you still playing favorites?"

Archer sighed, "I do not agree I have played favorites, but in this case, I just have gone in alphabetical order." Actually, that was a lie. He had been told by those who put on shows, that it is best to lead with the biggest and most popular act you have. There was no doubt that was Shran and Jhamel. The alphabet excuse was a lucky coincidence.

He continued, "If that is okay?" Getting a reluctant nod from Gral, "As I was saying, after all the presentations are done, there will be a meeting between your groups and a selected group of one hundred Earth citizens. That is scheduled to last about an hour. The whole thing should take about five hours. Then you will be brought back here and be taken to your ships whenever you are ready. Anyone have any questions?"

When no one spoke up, Archer said, "Then let's plan to meet in the lobby area," looking at his watch, "At three o'clock. We'll let all the others know the plans and see if we encounter any problems."

They then all exited.

Harry Waters led his wife Eileen and his daughter Lois to their seats. If truth be told, he was not thrilled to be attending this event. Although he deplored the actions that Terra Prime had taken, he shared many of their concerns. He wondered about the idea of entering a possible alliance, of getting involved in interplanetary intrigue. But the damned school system insisted on teaching the importance of tolerance. You add that to his daughter's love for space travel and _Enterprise_ and he could not deny her, especially as she had won a ticket to the Fair by writing an essay.

They found their seats and sat down. Lois was practically floating in her seat, she was so excited. Suddenly she called out. "Look. Dad, there's Captain Archer! Even Harry had to admit it was kind of exciting to see the Captain from _Enterprise_. After all, he had saved the Earth. But, it was also true, that it could be his actions that had brought the attack against Earth.

A few rows ahead of the Waters family, Steven Baker also observed the scene in front of him. However, although he had some of the same thoughts as Harry, his basic beliefs were much different. He felt that the effort by Terra Prime had been noble and was angry at its defeat. He especially hated Jonathan Archer and Charles Tucker III. Not only for stopping Terra Prime and bringing the Xindi attack upon Earth, but for their disgusting friendship and relationship with T'Pol. But for now, he and his fellow believers would have to bide their time. Sooner or later, they would get their opportunity and achieve their revenge and goals.

Archer was glad to see everything was going on schedule and introduced President Samuels to present the opening remarks.

Harry Waters knew Samuels was the real driving source behind Earth forming an alliance and gave a less than enthusiastic greeting for him. He could see there were many that felt the same way he did.

Samuels smiled to himself at the ambiguous welcome and gave his speech.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to a truly extraordinary event. Today is proof that Earth has entered the Galactic community. We are honored to have representatives from four planets here today. Each of these planets have proven their friendship for Earth and have been with us in times of trouble."

"But this is also a unique opportunity to meet people from these other worlds with whom you share a common interest. We have ordinary citizens who encounter the same problems and situations as each of you. Who share a common goal of doing the best for their families and provide a life for them."

"While it is true you will find they are in many ways very different, you will also see you have much in common".

"Now, I will turn the stage over to Captain Jonathan Archer, who will introduce our first guests."

As Archer came forward, there was little ambiguity in the applause. He was welcome with a huge burst of applause.

Archer smiled and accepted the applause and then spoke out. "Our first presenters are from the planet Andoria. Many of you know how Commander Shran has been a vital ally. Not only did he help against the Xindi, but provided forces that helped destroy an attempt to cause friction between the planets of our quadrant. Please welcome Commander Shran and his wife Jhamel."

In spite of himself, Harry Waters found himself becoming interested. His daughter had made a point to tell him all about Jhamel, a woman from a race of telepathic beings who were blind. Now that he saw her in person, he also was drawn to her beauty. On the other hand, Shran seemed like a show-off.

But it was the video of Andoria that really got his attention. He was amazed by its beauty and its unbelievable difficult conditions. He found himself listening intently to farmers, store keepers, and other citizens who lived and worked under those conditions.

When they finished, however, he still found himself wondering why there was a need to form an alliance with them, no matter how fascinating they and their planet were.

Whatever mixed feelings the Andorians raised for Harry, the was none of that for the Tellerites. They were the very epitome of why he had problems with aliens. They were so ugly and inhuman. Although this Gral spoke eloquently, he could not get past his appearance. As for his wife, he wondered how they could tell one sex from another. He blanched at the thought of them mating. Even their planet was nothing special, although there were some beautiful spots. It was strange though, that even their young children were sort of cute. It was kind of like a bull dog, who is so ugly there is a certain cuteness. But Harry could not possibly understand why Earth would want to form an alliance with such creatures.

Then there were the Vulcans. Harry of course knew them very well. Everyone had heard the stories of how they turned their back when the Xindi attacked. But then there was Soval, who had turned out to help Earth when their embassy was destroyed. But even more there was T'Pol, who risked her life to stay on Enterprise to enter the Expanse; the stories of her friendship with Archer and her relationship with Tucker.

The film of their planet was fascinating. The heat, the sweltering deserts, the beauty of Mount Seleya. And the majesty of their cities with their spires reaching into the skies. Then of course, the fact they looked very much like humans made them easier to accept.

When it was over and he and his family were leaving, his daughter still raving about how exciting and wonderful it all had been, he found he still remained unconvinced, but he perhaps felt there was more to examine then he had first thought. He watched as the selected people from Earth went to mingle with the aliens.

Steven Baker had no such doubts. Everything he saw reinforced the strangeness, the alien nature of the visitors. He knew more than ever that they could not become involved with them. He knew it would eventually lead to a mingling of the races. Hadn't Tucker and T'Pol already proven that? The very things that made them human would be corrupted and their identity would be lost forever.

Archer smiled as he saw the two groups come together. There was of course hesitancy at first, but curiosity brought them together. He saw many sights that made him believe this was a good idea and there was hope it would work out. He saw men and women with similar occupations finding common ground on the problems they faced. He saw Jhamel holding an Earth baby who was tentatively touching her antennae as she and Shran talked to the parents. She saw the same with humans holding Teller and Andorian children. But the most appealing was seeing the children approach each other, each curious about the other and finding common ground.

He also had to smile when Gral got into a discussion with an Earth man who was balding and had a rather pronounced beer belly. It started when he approached Gral and blurted out, "You are without a doubt the ugliest thing I have ever seen."

The other humans nearby were aghast and started to reprimand him, but Gral was pleased he had finally found a kindred soul; he was about ready to gag on all the friendliness and courtesy. He answered back, "Speaking of ugly, I didn't realize a loss of hair and a bulging belly were examples of human beauty."

Stunned, the man snapped back. "Okay, so I am not the most handsome guy around, but, compared to you, I am gorgeous."

Gral smiled, "That may be true on Earth, but tomorrow I will return to my home world, where I am considered quite handsome. You will still be ugly."

He then turned away as some of those listening cheered.

After the Fair was over and everyone had returned to the hotel, Archer found himself alone again with Shran and Jhamel. He asked them, "What time do you leave for Andoria?"

Shran answered, "Actually, I was wanting to discuss that with you. The ship is leaving later tonight, but I was wondering if Jhamel and I would be allowed to stay. Jhamel has never spent time away before and would like to spend more time here."

Archer smiled, "I think that would be all right. I will be leaving for Andoria in a week. Since the next three Fairs will happen quite close together, I am going to keep track of all progress while working specifically on Andoria. You are welcome to hitch a ride with me then."

Shran looked at Jhamel who smiled, he turned back to Archer, "That should work. Can we continue to stay here?"

"I would rather you returned to San Francisco with me and we could find you something near Starfleet Headquarters."

Jhamel spoke up, "That sound like a good idea, especially as that is one area we planned on visiting."

Archer rose from his seat, "That's settled then. The shuttle is due to leave in three hours, I will see you then." As he started to leave, he turned back, "I was planning to have dinner with Trip and his fiancée tomorrow night, do you want to join us."

Shran looked surprised, "I heard that T'Pol had left, did they get back together?"

"It isn't T'Pol, it's someone he was going with before we went on our first mission."

"I see, and I thought Andorians were the impetuous ones when it came to changing partners."

Jhamel looked sharply at him, "Is there something I should know?"

Archer smiled at seeing his friend's discomfort as Shran stuttered, "I was just speaking in general, you know you are the only one for me."

Jhamel continued, "I better be, remember checking on one's husband is considered a sound reason for reading your mind."

Everything got arranged and the five of them met the next night at one of San Francisco's finest Chinese restaurants. Natalie had been excited all day, bombarding Trip with questions about Shran and Jhamel and how she should act around them. Trip told her what he could about them, and then told her to just be herself.

After they were all seated, and were sipping wine, that Shran declared to be a far cry from Andorian ale, Trip smirked and spoke up. "Shran, as I remember, isn't it common on Andorians to have a three-way marriage? Are you looking into that?"

Shran glared at him, as Jhamel smiled sweetly and said, "That is not true for Aener and we have decided that will be the model. Isn't that right, Shran?"

Shran, still glaring at Trip, said, "Yes, and I am sure Commander Tucker was just making polite conversation." Then, smirking, he continued, "Perhaps you mentioned it because you were thinking of something like that for yourself."

Natalie spoke up, "Jhamel, it appears that our men share many of the same unfortunate characteristics, regardless of species. Maybe we should both think about alternatives."

Jhamel smiled, "It does appear so, but perhaps we can just write it off as their being men, and move forward."

Natalie answered, "I suppose, although it's hard to believe we could not do better."

That seemed to end that conversation and with the preliminaries out of the way, the dinner continued on a much better path. In fact, the two couples were together much of the week, as Trip and Natalie acted as guides.

During the meal, Trip informed Archer that the wedding date had been planned for December twenty-first in Miami. It seemed Lester Warren had the hotel set aside two floors for guests to stay and the wedding would be held in their main ballroom.

Archer answered that should work because it was more than two weeks after the last Fair on Vulcan.

General Thrang was not happy. The head of the Andorian Imperial Guard wished he had never heard of the so-called Fair. It was not that they would not be ready. Everything seemed to be in place. He was a little put off that Shran had decided to remain on Earth instead of returning immediately to help out, but he had to admit there would be plenty of time to finish up the detail when he and the contingent from Earth arrived. No, his real problem lay with the Queen of Andoria. He thought back over the history of the current status of the Queen.

 _For much of the early times of existence for Andoria, they had been ruled by a superior race of beings. Looking very similar to the current Andorians, they had possessed superior strength and intellect and had ruled well. They had mated only in their own ranks to maintain this superiority. Then approximately five hundred years ago, they had been struck by a plague that affected only them. Despite all their efforts, it became apparent that they were doomed to extinction. In a last desperate move, the males donated their sperm to build a huge sperm bank in the hopes of somehow furthering their race. As it turned out, one female did survive the plague. But it was discovered that she was left with only the ability to produce female offspring. The Andorians of that time arrived at a plan to take advantage of the ancients' powers and still gain power themselves. They divided the powers of government between the Queen and the head of the Imperial Guard. All military and political control would be under the Guard, but the Queen would have sway over the internal workings of the planet including culture. She would have no real power, but was hardly a figurehead as her opinion and presence were honored highly by the Andorian people. To be sure there would never be competing figures for the position, the following rules were put in place. At the age of twenty, the Queen to be would be impregnated with the saved sperm and give birth to her heir. Then she would rule for twenty years, when her daughter would repeat the process. Since the life expectancy of their race was only about sixty years, there had never been more than three alive at one time. In some cases, the current queen had died and the old Queen would fill out her rule._

But, Thrang reflected, a new scenario had occurred. When her daughter was only eleven years old, both the present Queen and her mother had been killed, leaving Andoria for the first time without a Queen. The Imperial Guard had decided that until the child was old enough to be impregnated, the head of the Imperial Guard would take complete control. Thus he, General Thrang, had ruled Andoria for five years until the child reached the age of sixteen. No person had ever been more protected, as she was the last of her race. But the birth had been successful and the new Queen had assumed power. It was decided she would rule until the baby was twenty and the cycle would be restored.

The Queens had always ruled and acted in the same fashion, passed down from Mother to daughter. They stayed out of the limelight for the most part, issuing edicts, only occasionally making public appearances. No Queen had ever left the planet and were kept away from outworlders. This was mainly for two reasons. One they were considered to be very fragile and much of it was done for their safety. The second was to be sure there would be no doubt as to who ultimately was in charge.

Thrang had found himself becoming almost a father to the child as she grew up those five years. He still held some of those paternal instincts as she took over her duties. He quickly discovered, however, that he had a problem on his hands. Partly because of her age but especially that normally most of the tutoring that taught the new Queen how to behave and what was expected of them occurred after their sixteenth birthday, she had received none of that, and it became apparent she had her own ideas of how a Queen should act. The Queens had never taken a name, but were always referred to as the Queen. She immediately scoffed at that and called herself Queen Helena. She also had an insatiable curiosity and refused to remain in the palace but ventured out into public. To the consternation of the Imperial Guard, the Andorian people loved it and her. She became an immediate sensation. This unfortunately emboldened her and she demanded to be a part of all discussions referring to the planet and attended selected Imperial Guard meetings.

But now, she had gone too far. She wanted to be a part of the upcoming Fair; to meet with the visitors. This Thrang would not allow. He would not compromise the job of the Imperial Guard to protect Andoria and the Queen. It was far too risky and she was much too naïve to be trusted to discuss matters of state. She seemed to realize she was crossing a line, and had fallen back to at least greet them as the Queen. They appeared to be at a cross roads with neither willing to back down. Truth be told, he also still loved her as his daughter and did not want to expose her to any possible danger. He was also afraid of the reaction of the Andoria public that she was lowering herself.

The Earth starship _Shenandoah_ moved into orbit around Andoria bringing the Earth contingent as well as bringing Jhamel and Shran home. After the twenty-three human participants had been settled into their quarters, Shran, Thrang, and Archer inspected the site for the Fair which was only two days away. Everything seemed ready and Archer returned to his quarters satisfied things were ready to proceed.

Two days later, Archer found himself on the stage waiting for General Thrang to give the opening speech and to proceed with the fair. The Earth participants had spent two days exploring Andoria, even traveling to the home of the Aener. They were now seated in front of the stage.

Suddenly, the audience gasped, and a figure moved out from the wings of the stage, ignoring the security guards who were stunned into immobility at seeing her. Thrang cursed under his breath, the Queen, what was she doing here?

Archer stared in amazement as the figure approached him. She was a beautiful woman, with Andorian characteristics but still noticeably different. She was dressed in a skin-tight suit that left little to the imagination, her eyes were the purest blue, and her skin was white as snow. But strangely, she did not seem sensual, instead she projected a feeling of power, of a powerful intellect. Archer felt no arousal but a sense of awe and serenity.

She stopped as she reached him, smiled, and said, in perfect English, "Captain Archer, it is an honor to meet you, I am Queen Helena, welcome to Andoria."

Archer called upon his experiences in diplomacy to bring himself together and bowing slightly said, "Thank you, your majesty."

Thrang looked on in disbelief, then suddenly wondered how the audience would react, what would they think of their Queen acting so unlike her predecessors. His answer came in the sound of applause as the Andorians rose to give her a standing ovation. She smiled, waved, and brushing past a still stunned Thrang, left the way she had come.

Thrang managed to recover and proceed with his speech, now very anti-climactic. The Fair turned out to be a success. Shran later explained to Archer the role of the Queen in Andorian society and how the present Queen was quickly expanding her role.

The _Shenandoah_ left a week later, to the next stop of The Teller. The Tellerites seemed to feel they were often disrespected and went all out. The site was by far the largest one of the four tours and fifty thousand Tellerites showed up. The accommodations were extravagant for the visitors and they were treated royally on a tour of the planet. Archer believed they did make an impression, although he sensed some of the participants unfortunately were still affected by the Tellerites' appearance.

Archer was now ready to see what was occurring with T'Pol and to see if there was any hope to see her. After returning with the other humans to Earth, Archer arranged for the ship to bring the humans to Vulcan for the Fair. He then hitched a ride to arrive early on Vulcan, to hopefully give him time to meet with T'Pol before the Fair. He sent a message ahead to have Soval try to contact T'Pol and see if she would meet with him.

As the Vulcan cruiser went to warp, T'Pol ended her last fast and began her final preparations for her journey of discovery.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Still don't own anything, I just write for the pleasure of it. I would like to especially thank EroSlackerMicha and LoErneBraska for their reviews. Also thank you to the rest of my readers.**

Phlox had been surprised by his returning home. He had planned on four months, thinking it would still be difficult to leave even then. But, after two months, he was wondering whether he could get away with telling everyone he need to get back to _Enterprise._ It wasn't that he hadn't enjoyed his time there. It had been wonderful to see his wives and children again. And he certainly enjoyed the sex with his wives. But he discovered he had changed. Denobula had always been a crowded planet and with three families, one had little time to themselves. He had once embraced it but now missed the quiet times he had on _Enterprise_. The real truth though was that he missed everyone. He now realized how much he had come to enjoy spending time with them. He had a new family, a new set of friends. The fact that his children were on their own now, with their own families made it easier to leave.

But in the end, he stayed the four months. After all, these were his families and he owed that to them. When it came time to go, and he said his goodbyes, he felt a little guilty; but could not wait to get back to Earth and _Enterprise_.

Travis and Hoshi were getting closer. They had not slept together yet but knew it was just a matter of time. Each knew this was special and wanted to be sure they were both ready and have it mean something very special to them. After everyone left for Andoria, they spent a lot of time with Trip and Natalie, who were thrilled with what was happening with their friends.

It had taken nearly six months for T'Pol to believe she had sufficiently cleared her mind and purged her body to the point she was ready for the ritual. She sat in a Yoga position in the center of the living room and dropped two canisters of an incense type material in some water. The resulting haze carried her mind away from her physical surroundings and she found herself in a large, empty room, similar to her escape during meditation.

Suddenly a figure materialized out of the mist as it faded away. It appeared to be a Vulcan woman, of indeterminate age dressed in fine Vulcan materials.

"Who are you?" T'Pol asked.

"I am you, I am your mind. The powder you used releases all restraints on your mind, freeing both your conscious and unconscious thoughts. Think of me as a facilitator, a medium for you to look deep within yourself, to find the answers you seek."

"Now, tell me, why have you inaugurated the ritual, what are the answers you seek?"

"I have become what I believe is too emotional for a Vulcan, but yet I am not sure I wish to be free of them."

"The answer to the future lies in the past."

A scene appeared before T'Pol, she recognized it as a moment from her childhood, when she was twelve years old. She was playing with her pet Selhat and petting it.

Suddenly, her Mother came looking for her and when she saw what she was doing, said, "T'Pol what is going on? You know that the only reason Vulcan children have pets is to teach them responsibility. Your Father would not be happy if he had discovered you. Have you finished your lessons and meditation?"

"Yes, Mother, I see no reason why I cannot relax after finishing. And what is wrong with having a little fun?"

T'Pol could see her mother becoming more upset. "Fun? You are past the age when you can be excused from occasionally embracing your emotions. Just be glad it was me that found you instead of your Father. Now go back to your room and think about what you are doing. You apparently need more meditation."

The scene changed and T'Pol found herself seeing herself when she had turned thirty and was finishing up her education and preparing to select a future career.

She had been looking through some old books at a book store and had found a book of poems dating back before the time of Surak. She was enthralled with the emphasis on war and lust that was found in them. She did not hear her Father until he was upon her. Seeing what she was reading, he tore it from her hands.

"Is this how you waste your time? You are much too old for such failings, T'Pol. It is apparent you need more discipline in your life. I see now that I have made the right decision. I have informed the Ministry of Defense that you will be joining them as a new operative. Their military discipline is just what you need."

T'Pol was shocked, she had prepared herself to join the Vulcan Science Directorate. Only recently she had received notice she was accepted. Without thinking she angrily confronted her Father. "You know I have been accepted by the Directorate. You know it has long been my goal. You will not take it away from me."

Not for the first time, she saw her Father struggling to control his emotions. "How dare you speak to me that way. You know your mother and I only want the best for you. We both agree that this is what you need. The Science Directorate is not for you. You need something to strengthen your mind, to get you to concentrate, to put these wild thoughts behind you. You also know that the Directorate will never allow you to join them without my consent. It is settled, you will join the Ministry."

As the scene faded, T'Pol wondered for a moment if her life would have been different if her father had lived. He was killed in an accident only a few months after she joined the Ministry. After the incident with Menos, she had returned to her original plan to join the Science Directorate.

She realized the woman was speaking to her. "Why did you allow _Enterprise_ to continue its mission after Captain Archer was injured on Rigel? It was what you and Soval had desired, to show the Humans they were not ready."

T'Pol thought back, at the experience of being touched by Tucker, which she accepted only because it was necessary to apply the ointment. But she had been intrigued by his words, his impassioned defense of the Captain, of him telling her he should have the right to finish his mission. After all, duty and drive to do the job were part of Vulcan discipline.

She also had to admit she had been affected by the Captain saving her life. She knew he thought little of Vulcans but he had not hesitated.

She knew she did not need to answer the woman, she was just there to have her think about steps she had taken.

The woman continued, "Why did you agree to stay on _Enterprise_ after the Klingon was returned home."

That one was more difficult. In fact, she had become intrigued with the crew and especially with Captain Archer. They had managed to overcome almost impossible odds to finish the mission. She found she was challenged both by the work and by living with the Humans. She found it much more invigorating than anything she had done before. She had no wish to return to her post on Earth and pursue diplomatic functions. As she thought about it now, she realized she was already acting on emotion.

"Why did you postpone your wedding to Koss, knowing you were probably ending it for good?"

That one was easier, it was basically the same as the one before, the challenges _Enterprise_ presented to her abilities as Science Officer. She was also not ready to become a wife and mother. Looking back at it now, she realized how much she had changed so quickly, or did the situation just bring out the emotions her parents had lamented. She knew that Vulcans feared interaction with other races because of exposure to constant emotion could weaken their defenses. She remembered how Phlox had told her other Vulcans had failed in her situation, and that perhaps she was uniquely fitted for such a mission.

"Why did you go with _Enterprise_ into the Expanse?"

That one was a no brainer. She had come to realize that she was needed by the crew. That she was an important part of it. She also had come to the point she could acknowledge that she wished to be with them as well. That they were her friends.

Suddenly, it all seemed so clear. Why had she feared what was happening to her? Was it because of the Trellium? Because of what happened with Trip? She realized they were happenings she wished she could have avoided, but they were not the heart of the matter or a reason for her to doubt herself. She belonged on _Enterprise_. It was the life she had chosen, a life that had meaning and importance. She was a part of it and it was were she wanted, needed to be.

She also realized it was especially important now. There was a definite feeling that dangerous times were coming and she was needed on _Enterprise_.

As she came to that realization, she knew she had one more question. She was reluctant to ask it, because of the possible ramifications of the answer, but also knew she needed to know.

"Do I love Johnathon Archer?"

A scene unfolded before her eyes. She recognized it as a meeting she had attended with Ambassador Soval shortly after she had arrived on Earth. When she had first reported to Soval, he had informed her that the most important item they were currently involved with was the Warp 5 project. Starfleet was about to launch its first Warp 5 ship. All efforts the Vulcans had made to delay it, believing the Humans were not ready for the responsibilities involved, had ran out. Their main concern now was who would command the new ship. They were hoping to get Captain Gardner to be chosen, but in any case, they were against giving the command to Captain Archer. They felt he was too impulsive and emotional to be a good commander. There was also the fact he was anti-Vulcan because he believed the Vulcans had stalled the project so that his father did not see the results of his work.

After further discussions with Soval, she agreed that Captain Archer was not the man for the job. But at this meeting she had her first sight of him. His attitude toward her showed her that Soval was right, but she also found herself being impressed by how he seemed to dominate the room, even though it was filled with Admirals. She also noticed that Admiral Forrest seemed to have a close relationship with him.

The next scene that was presented was of course well known to her. It was when he gave her a hollow threat to 'knock her on her ass.' Even with that though, she had again been impressed how he took over the situation again even with all the Admirals present. She got the impression Admiral Forrest had expected him to do so and had been waiting for his appearance. She could not help but be amazed how he managed to get everyone to agree that he should return the Klingon to his home planet.

The woman than spoke, "When did you first feel there could be something between you."

Although her respect for him had grown, the first real realization of how much he had come to appreciate her came when they were tied together after being shot down and captured at Coridan.

As they struggled to get free, he had said that the Vulcans had taken something important from his father and he was not going to allow them to do it to him. He then had worked out a deal with the Vulcan Captain to keep her on _Enterprise_. She had also had come to accept and even welcome his often touching her.

Then there was the time when Porthos was sick. She was more amused than offended by his obvious slips of the tongue, but when he apologized for it, she was stunned to realize she was attracted to him as well.

The next scene was one that had shocked her at the time, and made her realize how much he meant to her. When he was leaving for the weapon at Azati Prime, she had shouted out that she did not want him to die.

Then, when she thought he was dead after the weapon was destroyed, she was crushed. She found a book that he gave her and clutched it as if it could somehow keep a connection to him. And when he arrived at the bridge after they found he was alive, she envied the easy and natural way Hoshi hugged him. When he stood before her, it took all her control not to do the same, to clutch him to herself.

There were many more instances, like when he was hurt when T'Pau tried to take Surak from him. Her concern for him as they attempted to return the Kir Shara to the capitol. It was of course also impressive to her that Surak had entrusted him with that task.

Jonathon Archer was bigger than life. He had become the most important person in her life. She could not imagine a life without him. But more that that, he was her closest friend, the person she trusted with everything including her life. She also knew he was attractive to her.

Again, things became clear, she had not needed to ask, she knew the truth, she loved him. She was just afraid of the ramifications of that fact.

At that moment, the woman dematerialized and she found herself seated back on the floor, experiencing some needs that needed to be relieved. After she had solved the most pressing one, she went to her refrigerator and took out some vegetables and water. Now having solved those problems, she reflected on what had happened. She suddenly had a sobering thought. Although she knew that she loved him, she could not tell him. Whatever he felt, the results could be harmful.

If he didn't reciprocate her feelings, it could cause harm to their friendship and/or their working relationship. She could not risk either. Above all, she valued that friendship and her place on _Enterprise_. Then there was the fact that Jonathon Archer was vital to the attempt to form an alliance and if Daniels were to be believed, to the future. She felt she was a vital part of that future and could do nothing to jeopardize it.

Then, if he did love her also, which she was afraid to hope for, it would also change their relationship. He would most likely want to marry her and the ramifications of that could be detrimental to the hopes for an alliance. Also, how would Starfleet and Vulcan react?

No, she needed to keep her feelings to herself and be satisfied with their friendship and working together on _Enterprise_. Not that it was all bad, those things were of vital importance to her. And who knew what the future held, there could come a time she would feel free to express what she felt.

Now, she needed to contact Soval, to see what had been happening, to arrange to return to Earth, to _Enterprise_. She hoped that time had not passed her by, and events had moved away from her.

As she went to her communicator, she was surprised to see she had a message from Soval. Opening it she was astounded to see that he was asking her if she would be able to meet with Captain Archer while he was on Vulcan. It appeared he would be arriving in two days. She of course immediately answered she would be willing to do so.

Archer stepped from the Shuttle onto Vulcan, again amazed by the intense heat. He then saw that Soval was waiting for him. Hoping against hope that Soval had good news for him, he crossed the Tarmac to greet him.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N These characters do not belong to me, I am just borrowing them for a while. Thank you to Mojo01, LoErneBraska and Guest for their reviews. And a belated thanks to aria1210 for the review for chapter 10. I really do read and appreciate them. And thanks of course to all of you who honor me by reading my story.**

As Archer came up to Soval he was surprised to see Soval extend his hand as he said, "Welcome to Vulcan, Captain."

Shaking his hand, Archer thought how much his relationship with Soval had changed. The man he once hated for preventing his father from realizing his dream was now one of his most trusted friends.

He quickly asked, "Have you heard from T'Pol?"

Soval answered, "Yes, and she is willing to see you as soon as you wish." Anticipating Archer's next question, he said, "She did not tell me what she had decided."

Archer nodded. He then obtained the information from Soval as to how to find T'Pol and arranged for a shuttle he could use. In less than an hour, he was on his way to T'Pol's mother's home. He had contacted her to tell her he was coming. He of course could not tell anything about what her decision was from her tone of voice.

During the trip, he came to a decision. If she had decided to leave Enterprise and him for good, he was going to tell her how he felt about her. He was not so naïve that he thought it would change her mind, but he figured he had nothing to lose, and would regret it the rest of his life if he didn't take a shot.

On the other hand, if she was returning to Starfleet and _Enterprise_ , he would not risk changing her mind. Perhaps…some day.

T'Pol found herself unvulcanly looking out the window at the shuttle landing area. It was at the end of the road that passed in front of the house. There were two other houses in the area. She had not talked to either of their inhabitants in years.

Then, she saw the shuttle approach and land. She smiled inwardly as she saw how cleanly he landed. Then she saw the door open and him exit. Until that moment, she hadn't realized how much she had missed him. Just then she saw someone looking out of one of the houses, watching the Captain approach. She quickly stepped back so that she would not be seen doing the same thing. She could not blame the other person, it was highly likely they had never seen a human before.

Deciding she really did not care what the others might think, she opened the door and waited for him just outside. She saw him notice her and the smile he got on her face almost made her smile. He quickened his stride and was soon up to her. Archer thought to himself, 'God, she is so beautiful.'

Although she wanted to touch him, she did not, but just greeted him and invited him inside.

As they entered, she could see he was surprised how much cooler it was inside.

T'Pol spoke first, "Can I get you anything, Captain?"

Archer smiled and said. "Some water would be nice."

T'Pol crossed to the refrigerator and taking out the pitcher, poured water into a glass, as she asked the Captain to sit down. She then brought him the water and sat down across from him. They were both silent as Archer took a drink, then set the glass down and looked expectantly at her.

"I am sure you are curious as to my decision."

Archer smiled and said, "I am not going to pretend. I do not exaggerate when I say, it may be one of the most important moments of my life."

T'Pol was stunned. What did he mean by that? She told herself to relax. It was no more than the feelings he had expressed in the past. How important her friendship was to him. Still, it made her feel warm.

"I have decided to return to Starfleet and _Enterprise_ if that is still available to me."

Archer released a deep breath that he had not realized he was holding. "Available? T'Pol, a spot will always be there for you. In fact, I don't know if you remember me saying I would try to keep you a place in Starfleet? Admiral Gardner agreed and all we need to do is get you back on active duty."

Looking around, he said, "I don't suppose you have the ability to contact Earth?"

"No, my communication device is for intra-planet use only."

"Well, when I return to the capitol for the Fair, I will contact Admiral Gardner so everything will be set up when we get there."

Seeing her quizzical look, he realized she probably knew nothing of what had been happening. For the next half hour, he brought her up to date on the fairs and the status of _Enterprise_. When he told her about Jhamel and Shran getting married, he remembered the invitation in his pocket. Suddenly, he was worried about how she would react when she heard about Trip and Natalie. Would she miss Trip? Would she want him back?

Gathering his courage, he said, keeping his voice light, "Speaking of marriage, I have an invitation to a wedding for you."

T'Pol was unable to hide her surprise and wondered as she took the card who she knew that would be getting married. For a moment she panicked that it was Jonathan but realized she was being absurd. When she saw it Trip that was getting married, she felt relief and happiness. She had been worried about how he would act toward her when she returned. At the same time, she was concerned with what had happened, that he would find someone so fast. Also, she did not recognize the name.

Hesitantly, she said to Archer, "Is this what I believe humans refer to as a rebound?"

Amused that she knew the phrase, Archer answered, "In some cases, it would be construed as such, but Trip was with Natalie before our first mission. I know at that time, he was thinking about asking her to marry him."

"They want me to attend the wedding?"

"Definitely. Natalie also said, she hoped you were coming back because she would like to try to be your friend."

"So, you do not think it would be awkward?"

"No, they really seem to be in love and I know Trip misses you as a friend."

"Then, I shall plan on attending."

"Good." Then he hesitated and acted a little embarrassed. "Would you like to go as my partner?"

T'Pol raised her eyebrows a little, "What exactly does that entail?"

"There are social events that occur in conjunction with a wedding. There is a groom's dinner. And a reception afterwards that includes a dance. You would attend those with me."

T'Pol struggled to hide her satisfaction at what he proposed. She did say though, "I do not dance."

Archer smiled, "It's no big deal. We can do a little practice before then and I will lead. You will be fine."

T'Pol answered, "Very well, I will be your partner."

Archer thought, if only that were true.

Changing the subject, Archer started to rise. Well, it's getting late, I should get back to the Capitol. Soval has arranged a place for me to stay. Then he said hopefully, "Everyone will not arrive until the end of the week. Would it be okay if I came back and we were able to talk more tomorrow?"

T'Pol gathered her courage again, "It seems wasteful to travel back and forth. Why do you not stay here until it is time for you to get ready for the fair. There is a guest room Trip stayed in while he was here."

Archer was surprised at the pang of jealousy that hit him when she mentioned that Trip had stayed there, but it quickly passed. Then he just felt joy that she wanted to spend time with him. He quickly accepted, saying that he had left so quickly to visit her, he had put his bag in the shuttle.

After contacting Soval and informing him of the change in plans, he went to get his bag.

T'Pol watched him leave and realized what had just occurred. She would be spending time with the Captain alone, away from the ship. She knew nothing would happen, in fact she was not sure she was ready for something to happen, but found herself looking forward to being with him.

Archer's mind was racing as he walked to the shuttle and back. This was so much more that he had possibly hoped for. Not only was she coming back to Earth, she wanted to spend time alone with him. He quickly shut down any thought that it had any romantic overtones, but just cherished the fact that evidently his friendship meant as much to her as hers did to him.

Unknown to either of them, there was a set of eyes observing what was going on. Klas had lived in the house closest to T'Pol's family home since she was a child. He had been a friend of T'Pol's father and had often interacted with the family. He had also often been the recipient of the father's concerns about T'Pol. After her father died and T'Pol had moved away, he stopped having any interaction with T'Pol or her mother. He did follow her career with some interest and wondered what her father would have thought of what she had done. He had watched when she had brought the other human to visit. His concerns had been temporarily laid to rest when she married Koss. But then the marriage had been dissolved. Now, she had returned home alone. She had spent the last six months alone in the house, only exiting to get supplies. No one knew for sure what was going on, but it had gotten around that she had purchased a substance used in several Vulcan rituals.

Then, suddenly, another human had come. He had recognized him as Captain Jonathan Archer. He had certain acquaintances that thought highly of the Captain. They told how he had saved Vulcan and other planets from an invasion. Klas thought them naïve and showing emotions. It was inconceivable that a backward species like humans could have accomplished such a feat.

He had watched T'Pol come to the door to greet him. He of course had heard of the mutant baby that had been created from her and the other human's DNA. He had also heard how she had reportedly been intimate with a human. It was also believed that she actually preferred to work with humans, to spend her time with them.

Then there was the rumor that apparently Surak's katra had been carried by Archer. That he had led T'Pau to the Kir Shara. He of course didn't put much stock in it. No one could convince him that a man who lived hundreds of years ago, could have his being put in a human's mind.

He had been encouraged when it appeared T'Pau was returning to basic Vulcan beliefs. That they had no need to be involved in foreign intrigues. He was strongly behind her plan to reduce the size of the fleet. He applauded her for saying she saw no reason for her to ever leave Vulcan.

But then news had come of this fair. It appeared that Soval was behind it. It was common knowledge that his years on Earth had contaminated him. Like T'Pol, he had become involved with the humans. Another reason why Vulcans must not become entangled with other species.

Then he saw Archer leaving and hoped it was for good. Perhaps T'Pol had come to her senses. He was shocked when instead of taking off, Archer took what appeared to be a traveling bag from the shuttle and headed back to the house.

He now knew he could not just stand by and let this go unchallenged. At least the last time, her mother had been in the house. Now she was showing she had no shame. He would confront them in the morning. He thought of others that agreed with him and decided he needed to make some calls.

When Archer returned to the house, he put his bag in the guest room and he and T'Pol talked for a while, Archer expounding a little more what had been done to _Enterprise_.

Eventually they said goodnight and went to their respective rooms. After he had climbed into bed, Archer took out the small data base computer that Hoshi had loaded with facts about Vulcan. Searching under Vulcan house guest, he was surprised to find it was customary for the guest to prepare breakfast. Although he wasn't sure what he could come up with, he decided he would at least show her he knew the custom.

The next morning, Archer rose early, got dressed in civilian clothes and managed to get to the kitchen ahead of T'Pol. All he could find to serve was the tray of fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. Ruefully, he put the tray on the table and poured two glasses of water.

T'Pol, who had wondered if Archer knew the custom, had waited to arise until she heard him do so. She had to smile inwardly at his 'prepared breakfast', but appreciated him making the effort.

Archer spoke first, "Sorry, I know It's pretty pathetic. I really didn't know where anything was."

"Actually, I have very little food in the house. I could make you a Vulcan equivalent of toast."

"It's okay, I am really not that hungry." Seeing her dressed in her Vulcan robes, he asked, "Well, how should we spend our day?"

"We should probably get some food. There is a marketplace not far from here. It is typical for most places outside the big cities. I think it would be a good place to show you something of Vulcan life."

"Sounds good to me. Are they open this early?"

"Yes, they open quite early and close at dusk."

Having learned to protect his skin and eyes from his experience in the Forge, Archer donned a cap, sunglasses, and a light jacket, marveling how Vulcans could stand dressing in their robes.

As they exited the house, they were surprised to see five Vulcan men standing by the road. As they started down the path, the men blocked their way. T'Pol recognized one of them as her neighbor, Klas.

Archer spoke up, "What are you doing? You're blocking our path."

The men looked at him blankly and then Klas said something in Vulcan. They apparently did not understand or speak English.

Thus, they had kind of a surreal confrontation, with T'Pol forced to act as translator. Archer quickly got the idea. They did not like humans. That bothered him a little, but his anger grew when he also realized that they were attacking T'Pol, seemingly concerned that a Human was staying in her house. He could tell T'Pol was getting upset as well, although only he or Trip would probably be able to tell. He instinctively stepped forward to protect T'Pol although he knew she would be able to protect herself better than he could. Just as he was wondering how they were going to handle the situation, having pretty much decided he was not going to take much more of what they were saying; five other Vulcans arrived on the scene.

One of them, who the others seemed to defer to, stepped forward. He noticed their protagonists were obviously unhappy at the man's arrival.

Klas spoke to him, "Sovak, what are you doing here?"

Sovak answered in Vulcan, "One of the individuals you called last night apparently did not share your views as much as you thought. He contacted me as to your plans."

He then turned to Archer and T'Pol. Speaking in English, he said, "Captain Archer, it is satisfactory to meet you." Looking back toward Klas and the others, he went on, "I apologize for my fellow Vulcans. They are bringing shame to my…" He seemed to struggle for a word. "He finally said, "The closest translation would be a town."

He continued, "I would be the approximate equivalent of a mayor on your planet."

He then asked, "I hope I am not being as you would say, nosy, but could I ask where you are headed?"

Archer answered, "T'Pol was about to show me your marketplace."

"Ah, that sounds like an excellent choice." He looked again at Klas and the others, who were glaring at him not able to understand what he was saying. "Don't worry, Captain, you will not be bothered any longer. Perhaps we will meet again."

Thanking him, Archer and T'Pol resumed their walk down the road.

As they walked, T'Pol spoke up, "I am sorry that you had to be involved in that. It is surprising to me that they would act in that manner."

Archer had to smile to himself, it was hardly the first time he had a problem with Vulcans. He was more concerned for T'Pol. "T'Pol, I am not causing you any problems by staying with you, am I? I can return to the capitol."

T'Pol looked into his eyes. "It is very pleasing to me to have you stay with me. Do not let them lead you to have any doubts."

Archer smiled, "It's very pleasing to me as well."

They continued to walk, a much more comfortable silence now.

They walked in silence until they arrived at the marketplace. Archer was surprised to see it was series of kiosks that apparently sold various products. In the middle was an open marketplace selling fruits and vegetables. Some of the 'stores' sold clothes, shoes, and other items.

While T'Pol was picking out vegetables and fruits, he wandered past the other stores, ignoring the looks he was receiving. For the most part, they showed curiosity, but a couple appeared to be troubled by his appearance. He stopped when he saw a series of vases up for sale. They had exotic patterns and he assumed were native to Vulcan. The proprietor saw his interest and approached. However, it appeared he knew no English and gave up the conversation when Archer did not understand him. Archer signaled to him he would be back and went to get T'Pol. She was just finishing up and had a bag of various food items. She noticed he was not by her, but then saw him approaching her.

He spoke first, "Find what you need?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Then, could you come with me, I would like to show you something."

He led her back to where he had spotted the vases.

"What do you think of these?"

T'Pol, who was a little surprised and not sure why he was interested, looked them over and said they were aesthetically pleasing. "Were you interested in purchasing one?"

"No, but I thought you might."

As she gave him an inquisitive look, he smiled and said, "It is customary when one is invited to a wedding, to bring a gift. I thought that something that came from Vulcan would be interesting to them."

"You believe this would be an appropriate gift?"

"Yes, I think they would like it." Then he added, "If it is not overly expensive."

T'Pol then engaged the proprietor in conversation. After a few exchanges, she handed him a data chip and he touched it to a device on the counter. He then took out a box and some paper and placed one of the vases in it, handing it to her.

Then, as they were about to leave, he said something else. T'Pol looked surprised and then answered. The man then appeared to be satisfied and looked at Archer and bowed slightly.

As they left, Archer asked, "What was the last part all about?"

He wanted to know if you were the Captain of the Earth starship, the man who had Surak's katra. When I assured him you were, he said it was an honor to deal with you."

Archer looked a little perplexed, "T'Pol, I have to admit that I am a little surprised that I seem so well known to everyone. I wouldn't think most Vulcans would be interested in the actions of a human.

T'Pol raised her eyebrows a little. "I greatly admire you, Captain, but sometimes I am exasperated by your inability to realize how important you are, and how significant are the actions you have taken. You are the Captain of the first Earth Warp 5 starship. You were involved with the destruction of P'jem. You saved your world and others from being absorbed by the Expanse. You were instrumental in finding the Kir Shara and removed V'las from power. And, above all, you carried Surak's katra. Do you think that all Vulcans do not have interest in such matters?"

Archer smiled ruefully, "I guess I still retain some of my old prejudices, that Vulcans have no time for humans." Sadly, he said, "I thought I had come farther."

T'Pol reached out and took his arm, "I believe it is more that you have difficulty believe how much you have accomplished, how much of an impact you have made."

Archer put his hand over hers, "Thanks for that. In any case, I am astute enough to know how important the feelings of one Vulcan are."

T'Pol felt herself almost blushing. Vulcans don't blush. She removed her hand and they walked back to the house.

When they were back inside, T'Pol said, "I will make us some lunch. I am afraid I do not have much to entertain you."

Archer smiled, "That's all right, I have something I can review. Sure you don't need any help?"

"No, I will be fine."

As T'Pol went to work, Archer sat down and read through the database Hoshi had provided.

When T'Pol announced lunch was ready, Archer was pleased to find she had created a pasta dish that was quite excellent. He congratulated her and was happy to see that seemed important to her.

As they finished, Archer insisted on helping with the dishes. When they returned to their seats, Archer asked, "Well, what should we do now?"

"I was thinking we could visit Mt. Seleya. It is one of the most important sights on Vulcan. I think it would be of interest to you, Captain."

Archer was about to answer when he realized there was something else he wanted to address. "That sounds good." Then after a small hesitation, he added tentatively, "T'Pol, I am a guest in your house and we're doing things as friends, do you think you still need to address me as Captain?"

T'Pol was shocked and pleased, although she hid it. "That seems logical, what would you prefer to be called?"

"Jonathan would be fine."

"Very well, Cap… Jonathan."

That day, they visited Mt. Seleya. Jonathan was impressed. It was taller than Mt. Everest, reaching into the reddish sky of Vulcan. Such were the components of the metal involved, it was almost black. In a way, he wished he had been able to attempt to climb it, but with the heat and the thinner air, he assumed he would not have been able to achieve much.

The next day they returned to the Forge. They walked to the cave where Syran had died. Archer reflected on the time he had carried Surak's katra. It had been frightening and exhilarating. He sometimes realized that Surak had left some of his knowledge with him. He also felt it was a strength he could sometimes draw on.

Then, the end of the week came, and they headed for the capitol. They had returned to Captain Archer and things had seemingly reverted to normal. But there was a definite feeling that something had changed, that it was different between them.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Still don't own anything.**

 **Thanks to EroSlackerMicha, LoErneBraska, Mojo01, and aria1210 for your wonderful reviews. I really appreciate your comments and insights.**

When Archer and T'Pol arrived at the capitol, they were greeted by Soval. He informed T'Pol that Minister T'Pau would like to see her. He and Archer then decided to tour the facilities for the upcoming fair.

As T'Pol left, Soval told Archer the facility was within walking distance and they set out. As they walked Soval spoke up, "From the fact that you did not return after talking to her, and T'Pol accompanying you back here, I assume she has decided to return to _Enterprise_."

"Yes, and I of course was thrilled to hear it."

"It is most satisfactory to me as well."

'So, you feel T'Pol should stay in Starfleet?"

"I believe it is in the best interest of all."

"All?"

Soval stopped and turned to face Archer, "This is a time of change on Vulcan. Decisions need to be made. There are several competing paths to pick. These decisions will affect Earth and a possible alliance."

"I think I know where you stand, but what does T'Pol re-joining _Enterprise_ have to do with it?"

"T'Pau is at the heart of the decision-making progress. She wishes to restore Vulcan to the true path, to follow the teachings of Surak. But even though the Kir Shara has been translated, it is often difficult to determine how to interpret his sayings."

Soval resumed walking, "T'Pau is currently in the process of reducing the Vulcan military fleet, believing that Surak was a man of peace. At the same time, she shows she believes he was also an explorer open to new ideas, so she is building a scientific fleet to replace it."

Archer said carefully, "I'm not sure I am comfortable with Vulcan disarming with the recent actions of the Romulans."

Soval showed what passed for his smile, "I believe T'Pau has some concerns as well. She plans to stop the reduction at approximately fifty ships, coincidentally being the most powerful. But she is still torn whether that is the right thing to do. She is not sure pacifism means you should not retain the right to defend yourself. As for the Alliance, I am afraid she does not want to be entangled in interstellar intrigue. That is where T'Pol's decision comes in. T'Pol is the bridge between our two worlds. I do not believe you realize how her staying with _Enterprise_ , especially in the Expanse, has created strong feelings of support and condemnation."

"What side is T'Pau on?"

"I am not sure, she has not made a commitment. But how she decides that may have a bearing on the rest."

"You know, it may be that she will have to decide if she can defend Vulcan without some sort of Alliance."

"That is the dilemma." They had become up a large building in the middle of the city. "Here is our destination, Captain, we can enter over here."

When T'Pol entered the Ministry, she was immediately ushered into T'Pau's office. T'Pol could hardly recognize the woman before her. Gone was the scruffy, emotional leader of the Syrannites. T'Pau was dressed in regal robes and carried herself as someone with power.

"Welcome, T'Pol, it is satisfactory to see you again. It was good of you to come on such short notice."

"It was no trouble, it is satisfactory to see you as well." T'Pol looked around. "It is under much different circumstances."

"Yes, but many of the same questions that faced us then still remain." She gestured to a chair, "Please be seated, may I get you some tea? Water perhaps?"

T'Pol answered as she sat down, "That is not necessary."

T'Pau sat across from her. "Then we will proceed. I will not waste our time. My sources tell me that you went through a Vulcan ritual and that you received a visit from Captain Archer. May I assume you are wondering whether you should return to Earth?"

T'Pol was a little taken aback. "Minister, I must admit I am not sure I appreciate your interfering in my personal life. I also do not understand why I would be of interest."

T'Pau rose to her feet and stared at T'Pol with an air of disbelief. "Are you that naïve? Surely you realize how Captain Archer's name is recognized throughout the quadrant and beyond. He is the individual who destroyed the Expanse, turned back the Romulan threat. He is the man responsible for the destruction of P'Jem and the man at the heart of the possibility of an Alliance. And you T'Pol, have been at his side even in the Expanse. For better or worse, you are the face of Vulcan to many."

T'Pol answered, "Are you sure you are not exaggerating? It was a combined fleet that repelled the Romulans and I am sure there are many on Vulcan who have no respect for the Captain or me."

"I did not say that everyone approves of what has been done. Captain Archer has many enemies and you are right that many hold your serving on _Enterprise_ against you. But that does not distract from your importance."

T'Pol took a deep internal breath. As much as it would hurt her, she felt she was at first a Vulcan. "I have decided to return to _Enterprise_." She paused and went on, "Minister, do you wish me to remain on Vulcan? If you believe my actions will harm Vulcan, I will change my mind."

For a moment, T'Pau had an almost human rueful look on her face. "That is the problem, I do not know what I want. Since _Enterprise_ has been launched, great changes have occurred. What those changes bode for the future of both Earth and Vulcan, as well as the rest of the Galaxy is still unknown."

She turned to T'Pol, "For now, I must trust what you have decided. But a time may come when you will need to make a decision."

As T'Pol pondered that, T'Pau changed the subject. "Are you planning to take part in the Fair?"

"No, but I told Captain Archer I would attend as a spectator. Are you planning to make an appearance?"

T'Pau answered negatively and T'Pol could not help but get the impression that T'Pau was not a fan of the project, but she kept her thoughts to herself. T'Pau then went on, "Minister Kovack is representing the Vulcan government."

They then talked for some time about T'Pol's mother before T'Pol was dismissed.

After T'Pol left, T'Pau walked to her window overlooking the city. She saw T'Pol exit the building and take out her communicator. She assumed she was contacting Archer. She confirmed that to herself as she saw T'Pol head toward the site of the fair.

T'Pau wondered if she had done the right thing in talking to T'Pol. She could have easily found out from Soval what T'Pol had decided. She realized she had wanted to see T'Pol again. Although she had told TPol the truth, she had left out two other major factors that she needed to deal with in moving forward. First, when she had cured T'Pol of Panar Syndrome, she could not help gathering data in her mind. She learned two disturbing facts about T'Pol. The Trellium addiction and her intimacy with Commander Tucker. They caused her to decide that T'Pol had been compromised by humans and should be removed. But she also found how T'Pol had formed friendships and loyalty to the crew of _Enterprise_ , especially Captain Archer. It had been apparent how important Archer had become in her life. This was confirmed by her concern for him during the time they were together. She had also realized it was reciprocated to a point when she had briefly entered Archer's mind and when Archer had refused to abandon her.

The other major factor of course was that Surak had chosen to remain with Archer and allowed him to find the Kir Shara when he had never trusted Syran to do so.

She knew that the time was rapidly approaching when she had to decide what was best for Vulcan's future. While she herself believed that Vulcan should avoid contact with other species, in order to keep from being changed forever, and from being tempted to interfere, she could not ignore the influences of Soval, T'Pol and Archer.

T'Pol entered the building she recognized as the old Vulcan Parliamentary building. From the descriptions Jonathan had given her of the other fairs, it was apparent this was a far smaller and less impressive venue than the other planets had offered. At that, she wondered if it would generate enough interest to even fill this building.

She walked over to Jonathan and Soval, who were discussing some details to be finished up. Jonathan turned toward her and smiled, "Hey, T'Pol, how was your meeting with T'Pau?"

T'Pol quickly said, "Interesting."

When Archer realized she was not going to say more, he turned back to Soval. "Looks like we know what has to be done. We should easily be ready in two days. Where are the planet representatives going to stay?"

Soval informed him there was a hotel within walking distance and security would provide a safe path between the two. Soval then told Archer that the cooling system would be installed in plenty of time. T'Pol was stunned. It was unheard of for Vulcans to cool their buildings. She hoped the visitors would appreciate this effort to make them comfortable. Knowing Shran and Gral, especially Gral, she doubted that would be the case.

That night, T'Pol and Archer had supper with Soval and his wife. T'Pol was amazed how these once mortal enemies had formed a friendship. She then realized that it was to a large part due to their mutual respect of the late Admiral Forrester. Although they probably did not realize it, they were both working to make the Admiral's dreams a reality.

The next day, T'Pol accompanied Soval and Archer to welcome the Andorian contingent, who as usual were arriving first. When Shran saw T'Pol, he got a huge grin on his face, and turning back to his wife, said, "it's the Vulcan, I told you she could not stay away."

Jhamel smiled her, there goes Shran again, smile and said, "Yes, you did, Shran, but her name is T'Pol."

She then moved passed him and said to T'Pol, "It's wonderful to see you again."

T'Pol answered, "It is satisfactory to see you as well." Then turning to Shran, "It is not unpleasant to see you as well, Commander Shran."

Shran laughed and said, "Well, Pinkskin, it appears she is developing a sense of humor, perhaps there is some hope for Vulcans after all."

He then went on, "Here we are again. I for one will hate to see these fairs end, although I do need sometime away from Gral. I mean, it is okay to want to be treated well, but his constant complaining for its own sake becomes tiresome after a while."

Archer could not help but smile at his friend's usual exuberance, and the loving look on Jhamel's face. Shran is sure a lucky man, Archer thought to himself.

Out loud, he said, "If you are done, Shran, welcome to Vulcan. You too, Jhamel, it appears married life is working out for you."

Jhamel smiled and said, "Thank you Captain, and it good to see you again as well."

She turned to Soval and said, "Thank you for coming to greet us." She then smiled and said, "It is so warm here."

"Warm?" Shran practically shouted, "It's hot!"

As they walked to the hotel, Shran and the other men discussing the fairs, Jhamel fell back and walked with T'Pol. She quietly asked, "It is probably not my business, but since you are here with Captain Archer, am I to assume you are returning to _Enterpris_ e?"

"Yes, I have decided to return to Starfleet."

Jhamel smiled, "I am glad. It would not be the same without you." She leaned in closer to T'Pol and lowered her voice, "Shran will never admit it, but he has missed you."

T'Pol answered back, "I will never tell him you said that if you promise never to tell him, I have missed him as well."

Jhamel smiled a happy smile, "It is a deal."

After getting the Andorians settled into their accommodations, T'Pol and Archer returned to the Compound and they contacted Admiral Gardner. He expressed his appreciation that T'Pol was returning, and assured them everything would be ready when they arrived.

They next contacted Trip and Natalie to give them the good news as well. T'Pol was pleased to see how happy Trip appeared to be and also the apparent joy from Natalie upon learning she would get to meet her. T'Pol also noticed the interaction between the two, and was glad to see they obviously had strong feelings for each other. They also informed Archer that they had decided the members of the wedding party that were in Starfleet would wear their dress uniforms at the wedding. It had just been too much of a hassle to try to arrange for fittings, etc. Trip also again expressed his thanks for the Captain to be his best man, but Archer reiterated that was the one that was honored.

The next day they greeted the Tellerite group and T'Pol was surprised that Gral seemed to be glad she was returning as well. That feeling was completely swamped by Gral's constant and repetitive complaints about the heat, their accommodations, and the venue for the fair.

Later that day, the final participants arrived aboard _Columbia_. They also learned that _Columbia_ would remain on Vulcan until the Fair was over and return Archer, T'Pol, and the Human contingent to Earth. Captain Hernandez had been informed by Admiral Gardner that T'Pol was returning and told Archer and T'Pol how she had been pleased to hear the news.

T'Pol however, seemed to sense that although she was sincere, there was also something going on she could not identify. Then she remembered that there had been rumors about a relationship between Hernandez and Jonathan. In fact, talk of something that had happened between them while she and Trip were on Vulcan. She found herself feeling jealous and also wondering if Hernandez felt the same. She watched warily as the Captain seemed a little too happy to see her and was a little too friendly with her.

During the fair, T'Pol watched the ceremonies from just off stage and checked out the actions of the Vulcan audience. From what Archer had told her about the other fairs, she could see that both the Venue and the reactions of the crowd were far less that what had apparently occurred at the others. But, after all, this was Vulcan and such a response was to be expected. She did note however, that as Archer had said about the others, the meeting of individuals at the end was the best example of the value of the fair.

After the fair was over and the various participants were preparing to return to their home planets, Archer, T'Pol, Gral, Shran, and Soval had a final meeting. T'Pol was gratified to see that Archer had invited her to attend. They discussed the fairs and decided over all it had been a step forward. However, they also agreed that they needed to keep the pressure on. Somewhere along the line, the four had become convinced of the need for the Alliance; that they could not let the opportunity go by. All promised to continue to press their governments to move forward.

Goodbyes were difficult, especially between Archer, Shran, and Jhamel, as they were not sure when they would see each other again.

Archer and T'Pol joined the other returning human guests aboard _Columbia_ and they set off on the return to Earth. The trip was for the most part uneventful but T'Pol could sense she had not been imagining things when it came to Captain Hernandez. There was definitely an undercurrent of tension between them. Captain Archer, however, seemed completely clueless and was his usual self to both of them.

T'Pol did inform Archer of a decision that she had made when she determined she would return to _Enterprise_. She told him she wanted to wear a regular Starfleet uniform. Archer was thrilled, it meant to him she clearly wanted to become a permanent part of Starfleet. He had to chide himself for a moment when he realized she would no longer be wearing her tight fitting uniforms, but decided that he needed to keep his professional relations with her aside from his personal ones. Then, he smiled to himself that she would be sexy in anything. Besides, he couldn't wait to see her in a dress uniform.


	14. Chapter 14

**I still own nothing. I want to thank EroSlackerMicha and LoErnaBraska for their reviews.**

When Columbia neared Earth, T'Pol was gratified to hear that it would just be dropping its passengers off before continuing on its mission. She did, however, have to suffer through one last meal with Hernandez the night before Columbia was due to arrive. She endured the two Captains reminiscing about their early days in training and some anecdotes about other officers including Admiral Gardner. But then she had her moment as Johnathan declared his relief that T'Pol was returning to Starfleet, what a fine officer she was and how vital she was to Enterprise.

The next day, Columbia arrived in Earth orbit and T'Pol, Archer, and the Earth contingent disembarked, but not before Hernandez gave Jonathan a farewell hug.

After landing, T'Pol and Archer said goodbyes to their fellow passengers and headed directly to Starfleet Headquarters, where T'Pol filled out the proper 'paperwork' to get her re-instated in Starfleet with her former rank of Commander.

They then went to the quartermaster to get her a supply of uniforms, including a dress uniform.

With the wedding only three days away, they decided to leave for Miami at once.

When they contacted Trip and Natalie to tell them they were on the way, Trip told them to land at the Starfleet pad at the airport. He told them a car would be waiting to take them to an entrance to the hotel controlled by security personnel hired by Lester Warren. It seemed that every other entrance was crawling with reporters and paparazzi. He told them it was like a zoo.

When they followed Trip's instructions and neared the hotel, they could see what he had been talking about. There were cameras everywhere. With what appeared to be hundreds of reporters completely surrounding the hotel, it seemed that Trip's wedding was the biggest event since _Enterprise_ returned to earth.

Even the 'secured entrance' forced their car to pass through a gauntlet of reporters, held back by barriers patrolled by security guards.

As they passed by, they heard the reporters call out, "By God, it's T'Pol and Archer. Get a picture, you idiot."

The entrance led to an underground garage where they were met with more security guards. They were escorted to an elevator as the guard explained it had been altered so it would only access the third and fourth floors. When the door opened on the third floor they were met by Trip, Natalie and Hoshi.

Trip smiled broadly and talked first, "Captain, it's great to see you, glad you were able to make it."

Archer answered, "I wasn't about to miss your wedding. But while I am acting as your best man, don't you think you should call me Jon?"

Trip agreed to try to remember to do so and then turned to T'Pol. "It's so great to see you T'Pol, I'm so glad you decided to return to Starfleet. We all missed you", after a slight hesitation, "I missed you."

T'Pol answered, "It is agreeable to see you as well, Trip."

Then Trip turned to Natalie, "T'Pol, this is my fiancée Natalie Warren."

Natalie smiled and moved forward, but did not make the mistake of trying to hug her or even touch her. "It is so good to meet you at last. Trip has told me so much about you and what a help you were to him in the Expanse."

T'Pol's eyebrows lifted slightly, but she said, "It is most satisfactory to meet you. Congratulations to you both on your engagement."

Meanwhile, Hoshi stayed back as Trip continued. "Cap.., Jon, your room is ready, here's the key, room 433."

Then looking embarrassed, he said, "T'Pol, I am ashamed to say this but we weren't able to save a room for you. A couple of the crewman have offered to share a room so you could have one of theirs."

Then Hoshi moved forward and spoke up, "Or you could stay with me. I have two beds and would be glad to have you as a roommate for a couple of days."

T'Pol looked at her and with what they all believed served as her smile, she said, "If you are sure it will not inconvenience you, Hoshi, I would prefer not to cause the crewman to move on my account."

Hoshi smiled, "I am looking forward to it. It is wonderful to have you back." She handed her a key. "We are in 482."

Archer spoke up, "It is settled then. Now, if you will all excuse me, it has been a very hectic last few days, and I think I will retire to my room."

T'Pol answered, "I believe I will do the same, I need to catch up on some meditation."

Trip spoke, "No problem. The wedding rehearsal and groom's dinner are tomorrow starting at 1800 hours. It is not a dress rehearsal so no need to get dolled up for it."

As T'Pol and Archer turned to leave, Trip called out, "I almost forgot. A lot of us are getting together tomorrow on Lester Warren's yacht. Plan to do some diving and fishing."

Hoshi added, "You should see this thing, it is like an ocean liner. I plan just to relax."

Before T'Pol could answer, Archer broke in, "It sounds great, but T'Pol and I have something we need to handle in the morning. Guess will see you at the festivities tomorrow night."

T'Pol managed not to reveal anything as she walked off with the Captain, saying her goodnights. After they had got out of earshot, Archer said, "Sorry to spring it like that, but I was hoping I could introduce you to a part of Earth as you did for me on Vulcan. I thought we could take a trip through the countryside tomorrow."

T'Pol was caught off guard but felt elated inside. She quickly answered, "I would like that."

Archer smiled and continued, "Great. Meet me in the underground garage at 0900." Then he added, "I have rented a hover-bike, so wear some durable slacks and a light jacket."

T'Pol was confused, 'Durable slacks? Hover-bike?' But she decided not to show her ignorance, she would do her own research.

Just then they reached Archer's room. "Well, this is mine, I hate to end the night, but I really am beat. I'll see you in the morning."

"I do need to do some meditating. Good night."

Archer answered "Good night," as he entered his room.

T'Pol made her way to her room, her mind churning. Upon entering it, she saw it should be satisfactory. She checked the storage areas and found some empty drawers and began to unpack her bag. After a short time, Hoshi entered.

"Glad to see you are getting settled in. Hope you aren't disappointed in not having your own room."

"I am sure this will work out. You can bring me up to date on what else has been going on."

Hoshi answered, "I would be happy to and want to know what has happened with you as well." Then she stopped and said hesitatingly, "But, tonight, I did have plans to visit someone. Sorry to run out on you."

"Do not worry, Hoshi, I am quite capable of finding something to do. As I told Trip, I was planning to mediate so would not have been very good company."

Hoshi smiled, "Okay then, I am going to head out. If you are awake when I return, we can maybe talk some tonight, or I will see you in the morning."

Hoshi quickly left, and smiled as she headed for Travis's room.

After finishing putting everything away, T'Pol turned her attention to her trip with Captain Archer. Checking her computer, she found a picture of a hover-bike. She was surprised to see it was basically a board with a set of handlebars attached. She wondered what had possessed the Captain to pick this for their outing. She could see though why a skirt would not be a good idea. The only slacks she possessed were those she wore under her Vulcan robes and they were similar to silk and would also not be adequate. She was also sure the Captain would not be happy with her wearing a uniform. Wondering exactly how to proceed, she noticed a sign sitting on the table by the bed.

 _Forgot something? Need anything? Contact the Concierge at number 101 from the room communicator. For over three hundred years, we have served our guests needs. If we cannot provide the service, it is impossible. We have even done that at times._

Although she would normally avoid doing such an act, T'Pol felt the current situation demanded an unusual solution. A little hesitant, she contacted the number.

A woman's voice answered, "This is Morgan Winston. How may I serve you?"

Still not sure she was doing the right thing, T'Pol answered, "This is Commander T'Pol, I find myself in need of a pair of durable slacks."

In her office, Morgan Winston had a stunned look on her face. Was someone pulling her leg? One of the heroes of the Xindi campaign, a Vulcan at that, wanted to know about a pair of slacks. And what the hell were durable slacks? But then her training took over. Until she knew differently, she would do her job. And what if it really was T'Pol, could she risk insulting her?

"I am sorry, ma'am, did you say durable slacks?"

"Yes, I find I am planning to ride a hover-bike and need something appropriate."

A Vulcan on a hover-bike? Pretty sure she was being kidded, she checked where the call was coming from. To her amazement it was coming from Hoshi Sato's room. She decided she still needed to play it safe. "It sounds like you need a pair of jeans."

When the party answered, "I see. Do you know where I could obtain a pair before morning?" Morgan began to believe this was a true call.

"We have stores in the hotel that are open twenty-four hours a day. I could give you directions to one that could help you." Then she remembered her instructions for any of the wedding guests leaving the third or fourth floors.

"I'm sorry, I almost forgot. I am afraid any guest venturing from the wedding floors must be accompanied by a security guard."

T'Pol thought that was overly cautious but decided everyone was just doing their job. "Very well, what is the procedure?"

Morgan relaxed and went on, "I will send a guard up to your room."

"Thank you, I will be waiting."

Heather Stallings was a new member of the security firm Lester Warren had engaged. Escorting a guest to a clothing store was hardly the type of action she had expected to be involved in. But when she knocked on the door and she recognized the person she was to escort, she was stunned. Stammering a little, she got out, "My name is Heather Stallings, I am your escort."

T'Pol raised her eyebrows, "Are you all right?"

Now embarrassed, Heather went on, ""I'm fine. Quite frankly, I am a little shocked to see it is you I am escorting. I mean, you're Commander T'Pol. You hardly need my help."

T'Pol smiled a little inside, "We all have our duties. May we proceed?"

"Of course, Commander, please come this way. We will take the freight elevator since the others are set to just travel between the wedding floors and the parking area."

As they walked along, Heather wondered why the hell a Vulcan commander needed to go to a clothing store at this time of night. Deciding it was not her business, she concentrated on doing her job.

When they reached the level containing the stores, both were relieved to see there was very few people around. They entered the store to find a clerk waiting for them.

Diana Mason had been shocked when Morgan had called and said she needed her to wait on a very special customer. She also told her to let her know if it turned out to be a hoax. As she saw the security guard escort the Commander through the door, it was obviously for real.

When she saw the clerk waiting for them, Heather took up a post beside the door.

"Commander, this is an honor. I understand you need a pair of jeans?"

"So I have been informed."

If you'll come to one of our fitting rooms, I will take some measurements."

After having T'Pol remove her skirt and getting the measurements she needed, the clerk soon returned with a pair of jeans.

After waiting outside while T'Pol put them on, she saw T'Pol come out and felt a sense of pride at her accuracy as they fit perfectly.

T'Pol gave her a quizzical look and said, "It seems these are quite tight. I probably should have a larger size."

Diana smiled, "Oh no. Those are perfect. They really set off your legs and ass."

Then realizing what she had just said to a Vulcan, she started to stammer, "I'm sorry, I…."

But T'Pol wasn't listening. She was thinking of what the clerk had said. The jeans apparently were pleasing to the eye. She knew that along with breasts, legs and the derriere were physical attributes important to males, in this case, Jonathan.

"Very well, then I will take these."

Diana recovered and said, "Great, shall I charge it to your room?"

T'Pol wasn't sure she wanted too many people to know she had purchased a pair of jeans. She handed the clerk her Starfleet card and told her to use that. As she changed back into her skirt, she found herself looking forward to the morning.

After returning to her room and finishing her meditating, she got ready for bed and soon fell asleep.

Hoshi, checking to be sure nobody was around, knocked on Travis's room door and was quickly admitted. After engaging in a long, passionate kiss, they sat on the bed; their hands intertwined.

Hoshi spoke up, "I need to let you know. I can't spend the night, T'Pol is bunking with me."

"T'Pol's here? That's great. I can't wait to see her."

Hoshi, pretending to scowl, "Well, you will just have to, you are with me now."

Travis, stammering, "I meant later, I would never leave now."

Hoshi chuckled, "I was just kidding."

Then turning serious, "I know it is getting as frustrating for you as it is for me, but now I think we should wait till we get back to San Francisco. I don't want it to be rushed, and me having to sneak around and leave afterwards."

"I understand, Hoshi. But it is difficult. I want so much to show you what you mean to me."

Hoshi tilted his head and kissed him. "Believe me, Travis, I know. I guarantee you, you will get a lot of chances to show me when we get back."

Then she began to slip off her shirt, "But that doesn't mean, we can't still find plenty to do."

Later, Hoshi headed back to her room, deciding she needed a cold shower. She wondered why she kept waiting, she needed him so much. She just wanted it to be special and definitely wanted to fall asleep in his arms afterwards. Sighing, she entered the room, to find T'Pol sound asleep. Taking a quick shower, she got ready and climbed into bed, wishing Travis was beside her.

The next morning, T'Pol waited until Hoshi left for the yacht before she put on her jeans and a light jacket. When she stepped off the elevator at precisely 0900, she saw Archer standing by what she recognized to be a hover-bike. This one however, had small platforms below that she assumed were for their feet. As Archer turned to greet her, he said, "Good morning, T'Pol, right on time, ready to head out?" The end of the statement was dragged out as she saw his eyes widen.

He thought to himself, 'My God, she's wearing jeans. Damn, she looks good in them.'

T'Pol saw his eyes widen and smirked to herself. Apparently, the clerk had been right. She spoke up, "Are you sure this vehicle is safe?"

"I have been riding one since I was fourteen years old."

"Taking into account the recklessness of humans, I do not believe you answered my question."

Archer chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll get you back in one piece."

As T'Pol approached the bike, Archer went on, "You put your feet in those areas and then hold on to me and lean the direction I lean. I understand there is a Xindi Attack Memorial near here and thought we could go there. We go through a couple of small towns so you should get a good look at rural Earth." Then, handing her a helmet, he said, "Put this on." Seeing she had a look that said – if this is so safe, why do I need a helmet, he hurried to say, "It's just a precaution."

As she moved past him, putting on the helmet, he got his first look at her backside. It looked every bit as good as he expected, which was good indeed.

Putting on his own helmet, he got into the driver's seat as T'Pol settled behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders.

Archer turned his head slightly and said, "Ready?"

"Just obeying orders."

Archer smirked and headed out through the exit heading out of the city. They soon passed through the countryside and T'Pol marveled at the large fields of crops. On Vulcan, growing areas were much smaller and consisted of vegetables that could stand the harsh desert climate. They also passed through several small towns, looking much the same as they had for centuries.

Suddenly, as they headed for a turn, the whole mood seemed to change, as if they could sense what they were about to see. As they turned, they approached the huge swath of burned land that stretched into the distance in both directions. Although some of the land had been restored along the path, a wide area had been left as it was when the Xindi destroyed it. Archer pulled into a parking lot next to a small building standing in front of a much larger one behind. The stations were located five hundred miles apart wherever the damage was done on land.

Getting off their bikes and removing their helmets, they approached the small building as Archer spoke. "The small building contains several rooms to watch videos and listen to tapes recorded to remember the victims. Trip told me he did one for his sister."

They went inside and entered one of the cubicles. Archer used the search function to find the name Elizabeth Tucker. They then watched scenes of Elizabeth's life with Trip's voice as narrator.

As they exited, Archer explained the larger building contained rooms for worship and meditation. There were rooms for every major religion as well as other general rooms.

Suddenly, T'Pol spoke up, "Do you think Trip would mind if I used one of those rooms to meditate."

Archer smiled, "I think he would be thrilled and honored."

As she turned toward the building, she looked back and said, "Would you like to join me, Jonathan?"

Happily, Archer answered, "I'd be proud to."

They went inside and entered one of the general rooms. As T'Pol assumed a lotus position on one of the mats on the floor, Archer sat in a chair near her. Watching her enter a trance, Archer allowed his mind to wander. Seeing Elizabeth and hearing Trip, he thoughts turned to the Expanse and specifically to the moments he stole the warp coil. Although he knew he had no choice, he still felt guilty for what he did. Of course, that guilt was assuaged by the fact that he knew it turned out all right for the crew. When the Expanse collapsed, ships from surrounding planets went to explore the area. The ship he had attacked were able to contact one of those ships and were provided with a new warp coil. When they got home, they contacted Earth. When they fully understood what had been at stake, and that their planet was one that was saved, they accepted Archer's and Earth's apology.

Looking over at T'Pol, he remembered the series of events that had been so surprising and troubling to him. How he had almost lost her when they boarded the Seleya, her hand shaking when he had returned to the ship, how she called out to him that she did not want him to die.

He wondered when the hate had turned to friendship and then to love. Could it be possible she loved him as well?

Before he could consider that thought further, T'Pol rose and said she was ready to leave.

As they left and approached the hover-bike, Archer said, "Before we return, I would like to visit a roadside stand that Trip told me about; he said they had best oranges he had ever tasted."

T'Pol, who did not want their time together to end said, "That sounds agreeable."

Putting their helmets back on, they boarded the bike. This time T'Pol put her arms around his waist and leaned forward slightly. Traveling through more countryside, they came to an open roadside stand, where an older gentleman waited behind a table. He smiled and was about to greet them when they removed their helmets. He got a stunned look on his face and stammered out, "Captain Archer, T'Pol, what are you doing here?"

Archer smiled ruefully and says, "We came to buy some oranges, you do sell them, don't you?"

Now nonplussed and embarrassed, "Yes, of course. I'm sorry, I just never expected…"

Archer waved his arm, "We understand, it's all right. We would like to purchase a dozen oranges, I was informed you have the best oranges in Florida."

Recovering, the man smiled and said, "Not only the best in Florida, the best in the world."

T'Pol commented, "One would think that would be a difficult proposition to prove."

Smiling, "No one has disproved it." He then turned around and put oranges into a bag and returned to the table. "There you are, one dozen oranges."

Archer took the bag and handed it to T'Pol, taking out his wallet, "What do I owe you?"

Putting his hand forward as if pushing the money away, "There is no charge, it is a great honor to have you here."

Archer kept his wallet out, "We appreciate your thanks, but please let me pay for the oranges. There is no need to let us get by without paying."

"Please, put your money away, allow me this gesture."

Archer shrugged, "Okay, if you put it that way, thanks again." Taking the bag back from T'Pol, "Well, T'Pol, I suppose we better head back to the hotel, we have a rehearsal to attend."

The man spoke back up, "Commander Tucker's wedding! Of course! Could you take him some oranges as well?" He started to turn back toward the oranges.

Archer quickly said, "That's fine, we'll share some of these with him and Natalie and inform them they came from you." He and T'Pol then turned and headed back toward their bike.

"It has been my pleasure. No one will believe me when I tell them you were here."

Then suddenly, he cried out, "What am I thinking? I am an idiot! Please, don't leave. If my granddaughter ever finds out you were here and I didn't let her see you, she will never forgive me. T'Pol is her hero!"

As Archer and T'Pol turned around she had her eyebrows raised. Archer chuckled and smiled at her. "Well, we couldn't leave and not have her meet her hero." T'Pol narrowed his eyes at him as he smiled broader.

"Thank you! I'll be right back! He then ran into the building yelling, "Mercy, Martha, get out here, you won't believe who is here."

Suddenly, a ten-year old girl with blond hair and blue eyes came running out, she stopped and looked at T'Pol with a look of awe and amazement, "You're T'Pol!"

T'Pol, smiling inwardly, said "I am."

"You're my hero, I want to be just like you when I grow up. I am going to be on a starship. You are even more awesome in person."

Archer, with a huge smile on his face, "Seems you have quite a fan there, T'Pol."

Mercy turned her head toward Archer, "Captain Archer, it's cool to see you too, it's just that…."

Archer answered, "It's okay, I understand, I would be more impressed with meeting T'Pol myself."

Just then the man returned with an older woman following just behind.

Martha spoke up, "It is T'Pol and Captain Archer, I couldn't believe it when George told us."

George joined in, "Captain, T'Pol, I am George McBride and this is my wife Martha. I see you have already met Mercy."

Archer answered, "Nice to meet you, your granddaughter seems quite taken with T'Pol."

Martha smiled ruefully, "That's all we hear, T'Pol this, T'Pol that. She never misses anything that concerns T'Pol or Enterprise."

Mercy moved toward T'Pol and stuck out her hand containing a T'Pol Action Figure. "I have very one of these ever made, please take this one."

T'Pol accepted it and looked down at it, "There is a resemblance. I did not realize such figures exist. I cannot understand why someone would bother to create a likeness of me."

Mercy exclaimed, "You got to be kidding!" Then, embarrassed, "I'm sorry, I should know better. Vulcans never kid. But you're famous, you and Captain Archer are Earth's greatest heroes. Everyone wants to be you guys."

T'Pol reached out to give back the figurine, "One should strive to be the best that the individual can be, it is not logical to wish to be someone else."

Mercy, not reaching out to take the figure back, "I know I can't be you, but I want to do what you have done, I want to be on a starship. I want to travel to other planets and meet other people."

T'Pol still held out the figure, "It is good to have dreams, but one must also realize what would be involved in having the opportunity to serve on a starship. Few are fortunate enough to do so."

"I know, I'm working hard to get good grades and studying Math and stuff. When I am old enough, I want to go to Starfleet Academy."

Archer, who was watching this with a big smile on his face, noticed the frowns that passed over George and Martha's faces as Mercy spoke.

T'Pol had continued, "That is satisfactory. Perhaps one day you will achieve your goal. And if I can help inspire you to do so, I am honored. Now please take this back, the Captain and I do need to proceed."

"No, keep it, take it with you on Enterprise. I'll know that it is in space and that when you see it, you'll remember me."

"Very well, I will place it in my quarters."

George then spoke up, "Mercy, your Grandmother is feeling a little chilly, could you please fetch her shawl. I am sure they will wait until you return."

Mercy turned toward the building, "Okay." Looking back, she said to T'Pol. "Wait until I get back."

As Mercy left, George addressed T'Pol and Archer, "I want you to know how much we appreciate your patience and talking with her, this will be the highlight of her life."

Archer smiled, "It is our pleasure, but I am sure she will have many greater highlights. She sounds determined, she could make it into space."

George looked at his wife and shook his head sadly, "No, Captain, she will not be in space, she has Torrin Syndrome, she has already lived longer than most that have the disease."

T'Pol looked at Archer and said, "That is indeed unfortunate, she seems to possess such life."

George continued, "Yes, she has never let it stop her and fortunately it is not painful or debilitating until near the end, but that does not make it any less fatal."

When Mercy returned with a shawl that she gave to Martha, she was also clutching a camera.

"There you are, Grandma." Turning to Archer and T'Pol, "I brought the camera, can we have a picture taken with you?"

Martha spoke up, "I don't know, Mercy, we have already taken so much of their time and they do have to get back to the city."

Archer, looked at T'Pol, who nodded, "I think we have enough time for that."

Mercy handed the camera to George and ran around the table to stand next to T'Pol. Archer moved in next to her as George sat the camera down and lined it up. He and Martha then moved around and stood next to Archer. Three out of the five smiled and the camera clicked. George checked out the picture and found it was acceptable.

Archer then said, "Now, we really do need to go. Thank you for everything. Good bye."

T'Pol added, "It has been most satisfactory."

As they turned to go, George and Martha waved as Archer returned it.

Then Mercy called out, "T'Pol!" As she and Archer looked back, "You forgot to give me a Vulcan good bye." She then spread her fingers and said solemnly, "Live long and prosper, T'Pol."

T'Pol, being very stoic and serious, made the sign and said, "Live long and prosper, Mercy McBride."

Only Archer saw the sadness in her eyes as she turned back toward the bike.

They put their helmets back on, boarded the cycle, and pulled away.

After traveling some time in silence, T'Pol once again holding Archer around the waist, Archer spoke first, "That is too bad about Mercy."

"Yes, though it was gratifying that we had the opportunity to meet her, it seemed to give her pleasure."

"I was thinking, we are going to have some short warp flights to test out _Enterprise_ when it is ready to go. I'm going to talk to Admiral Gardner about the possibility of Mercy being allowed to take one of them with us."

"Do you think he would agree? It would set quite a precedent."

"I suppose, but hell," looking back and smiling broadly, "We're Earth's greatest heroes, we should be able to have a few perks."

T'Pol, with a hint of amusement in her voice, "Indeed."

Archer laughed and turned back toward the front.

They arrived back at the parking lot, dismounted and removed their helmets. Archer took hers from her.

He then said, "Let's see, Malcolm called me last night and said he would meet me at the bar before the rehearsal." Smirking, "I don't suppose you would like to join us."

"No, I believe I will use the time to Meditate."

"How about if I stop by and pick you up about a half hour before the festivities."

"That would be acceptable."

"I will see you then. Thank you for coming with me today, I enjoyed it."

"You are welcome, it was most satisfactory for me as well."

Archer let her walk ahead of him as he took one last look at those jeans.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N Still not mine, but I do enjoy borrowing the characters.**

 **Special Thanks to EroSlackerMicha, Mojo01, LoErneBraska, and einzel for their reviews. I know I say something every time, but I really do read and appreciate them and your input. Thanks also to everyone who is reading my story.**

The 'bar' was set up in a part of the ballroom where all the wedding festivities would be held. It was in a separate building connected to the hotel by an elevated crosswalk. As he entered the room, Archer was a little surprised by the number of people attending. But then, it was a free bar. He recognized a few crewmen but most everyone was unknown to him, probably friends and relative of Natalie and some of Trip's old friends. Three things did stand out. He saw Malcolm, Hoshi, Phlox, and Travis seated at a table. As he acknowledged their wave and headed toward them, he saw Trip's parents sitting with Lester Warren. Deciding he should pay his respects, he headed toward them.

As he walked, he thought of how he had conflicting emotions when it came to Warren. He remembered him when he was a young boy and Warren had come to work with his father. He admired him and was grateful for how he had carried on his father's work. But he also sometimes was a little bitter that Warren was now seen by much of the public as the man creating new warp drives that were still based on his father's basic design. He had to admit though that Warren himself had taken every opportunity to express how he owed his success to Henry Archer's creative genius. He had donated a large amount of money to allow the Smithsonian to have an Henry Archer Exhibit. He had also named the building where the warp drivers were being created as the Henry Archer Warp Complex. As he neared him, Archer decided this was something else he needed to put behind him.

Also, as he walked he had also heard the murmuring in the crowd as they realized who he was. Just then, to his chagrin, Lester Warren rose and clapped his hands. It got worse when the Tuckers also followed. Then everyone rose and joined the applause. He looked to Malcom and the others for some support and was stunned to see them joining in. Not sure what to do he finally waved his hand in thanks. As they finally finished he said, "Thank you. I accept your appreciation because I know it is not just for me but for the entire crew of Enterprise, especially those who didn't make it back"

By then he had reached Warren's table and was grateful see they were sitting back down. He quickly joined them.

He turned to Warren, "Lester, was that really necessary?"

Warren smiled, "You deserve it, Jon. Besides you know they all wanted to do something to let you know how they feel, maybe this will suffice for most of them at least, and will let you be a little."

"Maybe you're right." Then he turned toward the Tuckers, "Mr. and Mrs. Tucker, it's good to see you again. It has been a long time. Then he turned serious and said, I know I am way too late, but I do want to tell you how sad I was about Elizabeth. She was a wonderful person."

Chuck smiled sadly and answered, "Thank you Captain." Looking at his wife he said, "And we want to thank you for bringing our son back safely to us."

Archer thought about how he had created Sim and decided maybe it did have a good result, even though it was probably not something he should have done.

"Thanks, but he had as much to do with us getting home as I did." Then he said, "And since I am going to be the best man at your son's wedding, don't you think you could call me something other than Captain?"

Brenda spoke up, "All right, Jonathon, but only if you call us Chuck and Brenda."

Archer smiled, "It's a deal."

Then he said, "Well, I suppose I should join the others, I will see you a little later at the Rehearsal."

Warren spoke up and said, "Thank you for stopping to see us." As Archer rose, the men did too and shook his hand.

Archer crossed the room and sat down with Malcolm and the others. He wasn't sure what to say about what had happened and them joining the ovation. Apparently, the others felt the same and no one mentioned it.

Malcolm spoke up first, "Did you and T'Pol finish up whatever you had to do?"

Caught a little off guard, Archer hesitated and then decided he wasn't ready to discuss their trip, just said, "Yeah, we got it out of the way."

Travis smiled and said, "Well, you missed a good time. The Yacht was fantastic. Everyone could do what they wanted. Trip and Natalie went diving," he smirked at Hoshi, "Hoshi got to lay around and I and Malcolm did some deep-sea fishing."

Hoshi playfully struck him and said, "I was just relaxing and working on a tan. In any case I accomplished more than you did."

Travis, looking aggrieved said, "Hey, I almost got a bite."

Hoshi smirked and said, "Of course you did."

Archer, watching this exchange and the interaction between them, wondered if there was something more than friendship between them. Then, Malcolm interrupted his thoughts by saying, "The line seems to have gone down. Can I get you anything, Captain?"

"A beer would be fine."

As Malcom got up, Hoshi asked, "Is T'Pol coming to the festivities tonight?"

Archer answered, "Yes." He hesitated and then said, "She agreed to act as my partner."

Travis and Hoshi exchanged looks but decided not to say anything.

As Malcom returned, Archer asked, "Where are Trip and Natalie?"

Hoshi shrugged, "I don't know. They were still on the ship when we left."

The conversation then turned to the status of Enterprise, with Archer expressing how much he had missed working on her was looking forward to seeing how it all had turned out.

Then, as the bar started to clear out, they decide they should probably start to get ready too.

After they left the yacht, Trip and Natalie made it back to their room. As they were changing, Trip asked if they should join Malcolm and the others at the bar. Natalie looked over to answer and caught Trip as he took off his shirt. She smiled and said, "I guess we could maybe could do that." Trip looked back at her as she undid her bra. He smiled and said, "Your father and my folks will be there too."

Natalie was now taking off her shorts, "I guess we should probably go then."

Trip slipped his pants off as well, "I guess we should."

As Natalie finished undressing, she said, "Maybe we should take a shower first."

As Trip finished also, he said "I guess we could maybe do that."

Then Natalie laughed her bawdy laugh, touched Trip on the shoulder and said, "Your it," and ran naked for the bathroom. Trip quickly went after her.

Sometime later they separated and laid next to each other on the bed. Natalie smiled and said, "Maybe we should go to the bar."

Trip smirked and said, "You'll have to give me a little time before we go through that again."

When T'Pol arrived at her room, she slipped out of the jeans, but not before remembering how she had caught Archer looking at her. She thought over the rest of the day. It had been a good day, even with or maybe a little because they met Mercy. She took the Action Figure from her jacket pocket and put it in her bag.

Then she wondered what she should wear for the events of the night. Finally, she decided on her Vulcan robes. She had spent the last few days with Jonathon almost acting like a human. She needed to reassert her heritage. In spite of everything, in spite of how she felt, she was Vulcan.

Archer arrived right on time to escort T'Pol. He was a little surprised when she came to the door that she was wearing her Vulcan robes. But then he realized he was also happy that she was. He loved T'Pol for who she was and above all, she was Vulcan. He spoke up, "Are you ready."

T'Pol raised her eyebrows a little and said, "Of course."

Archer smiled and waited as she locked her door. They then set off down the hall. T'Pol had been a little nervous about how Archer would react when he saw her in her robes. Somehow she knew he was pleased and then she realized how important that was to her.

When they arrived at the ballroom, the bar was gone and the area had been partitioned into two rooms, one for each of the events. They entered the room for the Groom's dinner and saw for the first time the individuals that would participate in the wedding, as well as other invited 'partners'.

Trip and Natalie were talking to Lester and Trip's parents but came over as soon as they saw Archer and T'Pol.

Trip greeted them with 'Hey guys," and smiled when he saw T'Pol do her eyebrow thing. He went on, "Here, why don't we go around and I will introduce you to everyone."

Archer looked at T'Pol, who nodded; Archer and Trip then set off, but T'Pol was held up by Natalie who stepped in front of her. She said in a half-whisper, "T'Pol, are you busy in the morning?"

T'Pol, surprised said, "I have no plans."

Natalie, looking after Archer and Trip, said "Could you come to my room about eight o'clock? Trip and I are being traditional and he is staying with Malcolm tonight."

Wondering and worrying a little at what she wanted, T'Pol agreed to meet her. Just then Trip looked back and said, "Are you two coming?"

Natalie and T'Pol started after them as Natalie said, "Keep your shirt on, just having a little girl talk."

In the next few minutes, Archer met with first the Matron of honor, Ellen Warren, Natalie's sister-in-law and Ellen's husband Dave. Then they met Greta, who was practically giddy at being asked to be in Natalie's wedding and meeting everyone from _Enterprise_. Natalie's last bridesmaid was Hoshi. Of course, since Trip's groomsmen were Archer, Malcolm, and Travis, no introductions were needed. T'Pol was then introduced to Lester Warren and Trip's parents. There was a small awkward moment when T'Pol met the parents, but it quickly passed.

As they found their way to their seats, Trip took Archer aside and entrusted him with the wedding rings. When the meal was served, Archer was relieved to see Trip had made sure T'Pol received a Vegan meal.

The meal was for the most part uneventful except that Greta still suffered from being in awe of everyone from _Enterprise_ , and drank too much; but the others took it in stride.

Lester Warren gave a toast that somehow seemed that Trip was his son and Natalie was the girl he was marrying.

After the dinner, while they were waiting for the minister to arrive, Hoshi approached Trip and Natalie and asked where they had been all afternoon. When she saw their smirks, she said, "Couldn't you wait one day for the Honeymoon?"

Trip smiled and said, "Who says the honeymoon doesn't start a little earlier."

Hoshi shook her head as if she was exasperated, but actually she was envious and wondered if she had made the wrong decision with Travis in waiting until they got back to San Francisco. But she consoled herself with the fact that was only two days away. She felt herself blushing as she realized she was getting herself aroused just thinking about it.

About then, the Minister arrived and they went into the room set up as a chapel for the rehearsal. They had decided that they wanted Chuck and Brenda escorted down to the front row right after Trip took his place. Then the procession would proceed with Ellen's daughter Dawn being the flower girl. Then Archer would escort Ellen, followed by Malcom and Greta, with Travis and Hoshi coming last. They went through the timing of the music and Lester escorting Natalie. The minister then went quickly through the service, telling Archer when he would need to produce the rings. He asked Trip and Natalie if they had planned on saying their own vows and they hold him they had.

Everyone then took a quick walk through, with things going well.

Lester Warren then announced that unfortunately it had been agreed that after the ceremony, the wedding party would go to another room and meet with the Press. The amount of time was to be limited but there would be pictures and questions.

After that, they would come to the room of the Groom's dinner for a reception and the Wedding dance. The newlyweds would begin the first dance with the Groomsmen dancing with the women they had escorted down the aisle.

Asking if anyone had any questions, the Minister released them, reminding them that the wedding would begin at five thirty and everyone should be in place at least an hour before that.

Everyone mingled for a while longer, but soon left for the night.

As Archer escorted T'Pol back to her room she told him about Natalie wanting to talk to her. Archer told her that it was probably Natalie wanting to get to know her better. After all, Natalie had said she wanted to be friends.

Then T'Pol asked a little hesitantly, "Did you not tell me we would need to dance? It sounded like you will be dancing will that Ellen woman."

Archer glanced at her. 'Was she disappointed? Was she jealous?' Telling himself not to go there, he explained that only was for the first dance and there would be many opportunities after that.

T'Pol then said, "I informed you that I was not accustomed to dancing. Perhaps you should select other partners."

"I then told you I would tach you." Then, hopefully, he went on, "Do you want to practice now?"

T'Pol answered, "That would seem to be logical."

Arriving at her room, Archer followed her inside. They both stood awkwardly for a moment until Archer had her face him and put his left hand on her shoulder, and asked her to put her left hand in his right upraised one. He had decided he would not attempt to teach her specific steps but just get her used to how they positioned themselves and how to keep him from stomping on her toes.

After a few false steps, he felt she was beginning to understand what was required. He was entranced about how gracefully she moved. He realized he should not be surprised, after all, he had often been amazed how she seemed to move so effortlessly. With him no longer concentrating on what she was doing, he began to realize how good she felt in his arms and how his hand had slid down to the small of her back and how much closer she was to him. Suddenly, it was no longer him teaching her to dance, but him enjoying a beautiful woman in his arms.

At first, T'Pol tried to concentrate on what he was saying and treating it as a lesson, a series of instructions. But she soon realized it was better just to relax and follow his lead. Then she came to realize how good it felt to have him hold her, how close she was to him. She knew she should step back, to assure him she was skilled enough to feel confident she could dance the next night, but she didn't want to leave his arms.

Then, as if reaching a mutual decision, they both released each other. As she quickly recovered her composure, she heard him say that she seemed to have it down and he should get back to his room. She agreed but some how knew that was not what either of them wanted to do.

She realized that it was very possible that Archer might feel the same way she did. But she also realized she was not ready to face that possibility and was both relieved and disappointed when he left. She decided she definitely need a long meditation.

As Archer left, he struggled with what seemed to be happening. Although he could hardly believe it, he was beginning to believe that T'Pol might have feelings for him. But he also knew that it had just been recently he wasn't sure he would ever see her again. He was not about to risk that when he was probably just seeing what he wanted to see. But…. No, he wasn't ready to venture there.

When Archer got back to his room, he decided he didn't want to spend anymore time thinking about what was going on with T'Pol. Thinking about the wedding the next day and what he needed to do, he thought how he had really done nothing as best man. Then he had a crazy thought. He started to dismiss it as something too little too late that he probably couldn't get set up anyway. But then he thought 'what the hell' and called the one man he thought could help him get it done.

With Lester Warren's help and some late-night communication he was able to get what he wanted accomplished.

The communication read, _Tomorrow morning starting at 0900 there will be a Belated, Last Minute, Pathetic Effort to have a Bachelor party for Trip. It will be held aboard the_ Rose Marie.

The next morning, Archer was relieved to see a good crowd of men show up, including all of the wedding party and Natalie's brother Dave.

It was hardly a traditional bachelor party with no girls and the groom needing to stay sober because he was getting married later the same day, but everyone seemed to have a good time.

After he made an appearance, Travis had to leave, explaining he had promised to take Hoshi shopping. He was immediately sent off with calls of PW and sounds like the snapping of a whip.

Archer took care to assure it was fine for him to leave and decided there was no doubt now that something was going on between his junior officers. He was thrilled and would have to let Hoshi know how happy he was for them.

As the party was winding down, Archer took Trip aside and apologized for not having been the best Best Man. Trip was stunned, "Are you nuts? Jon, I thought I let you know how much I appreciate you were able to be my best man. It would not have been right without you here."

Then he turned serious and went on. "My Dad told me what happened in the bar yesterday. I was thrilled to hear it and wish I had been there to join in"

Then suddenly, he got to his feet and solemnly began to clap. Archer was shocked. It should have been laughable or just too corny, but instead Archer was really moved. When Trip finished, he said "Thank you, Trip, but I should be clapping for you and the crew. I did not always deserve the support and sacrifice you all gave me."

Then they suddenly reached out and unabashedly hugged each other. At that moment they both realized that with all that had happened, with the pain, the anger, the jealousy, their friendship was stronger than ever.

After the party, Malcolm and Archer took charge of Trip, entrusted with the duty of being sure he got to the wedding on time.

T'Pol knocked on Natalie's door precisely on time. She was still not sure what to expect but had decided there was no need to speculate and had spent the time after Archer left meditating. It had calmed and cleared her mind, but had done nothing to resolve the questions she had after the dance lesson.

Natalie opened the door and let her in. T'Pol was wearing an earth type dress with a high collar and finishing just below her knees. Natalie was struck by how exotically beautiful she was. She was also fully dressed in shirt and jeans not wanting to greet her in a robe.

Natalie invited her to sit and asked if she wanted anything to drink. T'Pol declined and Natalie got herself a cup of coffee.

Sitting down across from T'Pol, she felt herself wondering if this had been a good idea. Suddenly the speech she had prepared seemed inadequate. Taking a deep breath, she took the plunge.

"You are probably wondering why I asked you here this morning."

Feeling the question was rhetorical, T'Pol said nothing, leaving an awkward silence.

Natalie hurried on, "Trip told me what happened between you and him in the expanse. I know you had sex. He also told me how much you helped him and were there for him."

"He also told me he loved you and how it felt like you and he had a baby when you found Elizabeth."

Not getting any help from T'Pol, Natalie continued, "It's just…., I know Trip loves me and I love him. I know he doesn't love you anymore. But I just… I need to know; do you have feelings for him? Do you love him?"

T'Pol mind was racing, 'what was this about? Why was Natalie so insecure? They were getting married, she said she knew they loved each other.'

T'Pol knew there were two facts that would ease her mind. She could tell her about the Trellium to help explain her actions. She could also tell her about how she felt about Jonathan. But she wasn't about to reveal things she had kept secret up to now. She also decided not to try to mention the bond. If Trip had not mentioned it, it would just confuse her more at the best. At least she could honestly tell her what she wanted to hear.

"Natalie, I have no feelings for Commander Tucker other that friendship. I do not love him. I do not believe I ever did. Things occurred in the Expanse that would never have occurred elsewhere."

Natalie felt relieved but still had to ask, "How about Elizabeth? Doesn't she make you more than just friends?"

"It does mean there will be something special between us, but it does not mean I feel more that friendship for him. As I asked him, if they had picked someone else's DNA, say Lieutenant Reed, would you have expected me to be in love with him?"

Natalie tried to absorb what she had heard. It was what she wanted to hear, but could she trust this Vulcan? Suddenly she realized she really had no term of reference. She also began to wonder if T'Pol was even capable of love or if she would recognize it.

Telling herself she was getting herself messed up, she decided she would take what T'Pol said at face value. In any case, she loved Trip and he loved her.

She turned back to T'Pol, "I am sorry for asking these questions. Is it possible we can be friends?"

Once again T'Pol wasn't sure how to answer. How could she explain that Vulcans didn't really normally have what Humans considered just friends? Her relationships with the people on Enterprise had grown over a long period of time, under special conditions. For Trip's sake, she wished to maintain cordial relationships with Natalie, but was sure it was not the type of relationship Natalie desired.

Finally, she said, "I would like to have a harmonious relationship with you, but I am afraid it may not be exactly what you desire."

Natalie felt like she was getting more confused by the moment. She decided that it seemed everything had gone well and she should get out while she was apparently ahead.

"That is all I ask, T'Pol. Thank you for listening to me."

She rose, and escorted T'Pol to the door.

T'Pol exited with neither of them sure where it had been left, but hopeful they had a least lessened any concerns.

Travis and Hoshi come out of a store with him carrying two large bags by their handles, looking for a cab. Hoshi sees one and waves it down; they struggle a bit but get the bags and themselves in the back.

The Driver looks back, "Where to?"

Hoshi answers, "Get us to the Windsor Hotel, the southwest entrance. And we are in a little hurry.

Travis spoke up, "I told you we needed to get back, but you had to go to one more store."

"I found what I wanted didn't I? Besides we still have three hours before the wedding and we're going to be wearing our dress uniforms."

While they are riding, a TV screen in the cab has been on. Suddenly, Hoshi grabs Travis's arm. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?'

"On the TV, I swore I heard someone say T'Pol. Quick, wind it back."

Travis uses the remote to rewind it back.

Hoshi stops him, "That's good."

 _A news show is playing. The two Anchor persons are sitting at a desk, and a picture of a remote reporter is on a screen behind them._

 _The male announcer speaks, "And now for out daily human-interest story with Jim Ramsfield. Today he comes to use from a produce stand that according to the owner, has the best oranges on Earth. Yesterday the stand had a couple of very famous customers. Take it away, Jim."_

 _Ramsfield, standing next to Mercy McBride at the orange stand, "When ten-year-old Mercy McBride came to stay with her Grandparents, George and Martha McBride, while her mother works, little did she know it was to be the most exciting day of her young life. You see, Mercy has a big interest in space and especially in the people on Enterprise with her personal hero being Commander T'Pol. You can imagine her shock and joy when who should show up as customers, none other than T'Pol herself along with Captain Jonathan Archer."_

 _Turning to Mercy, "Well, Mercy, what was it like meeting your hero?"_

 _Mercy, excitedly, "She was even more cool and beautiful in person. She talked to me just like a regular person. I gave her an action figure and she said she would keep it on Enterprise to remember me by." As an afterthought, "Captain Archer was cool too."_

 _Ramsfield continued, "It was also quite a shock for her Grandparents." Turning to them, "What was your reaction when they arrived?"_

 _George answered, "They came up riding on a hover bike. When they took off their helmets, I could hardly believe it was them. They just walked up and said they wanted a dozen oranges. Well, after I gave it to them, I almost let them walk away before I came to my senses and called for Mercy and Martha."_

 _Martha went on, "Well, when George came in and said T'Pol and Captain Archer were outside, I just didn't know what to think. I was afraid he had made a mistake and Mercy would be disappointed. Then when I came out and saw them, you could have knocked me over with a feather. They were just so nice and patient. They said they had to get back for something to do with Commander Tucker's wedding, but they stayed and talked to Mercy and even let us take this picture." She held it up to the camera._

 _Then Mercy butted in, "When she left, she gave me a Vulcan goodbye like this." She held up her hand in the salute._

 _The scene moved back to the Studio. The male announcer spoke again, "Well, Jim, that was quite a story and will certainly be a day that young lady will never forget."_

 _Ramsfield went on sadly, "Unfortunately, there is another whole facet to the story. You see, Mercy McBride has Torrin Syndrome."_

 _The Lady announcer spoke up, "How sad. But it makes it even more heartwarming that she had this opportunity to meet her hero."_

 _Ramsfield answered, "Yes, both her Grandparents remarked they had never seen her so happy."_

 _The Lady Announcer went on, "Jim, do we know what brought Archer and T'Pol there? What were two of Earth's biggest heroes doing out riding around Florida on a hover bike?"_

" _No one here thought to ask and when we tried to contact them or Starfleet, no one had anything to say."_

 _The male announcer finished up, "Maybe they just wanted some oranges. Thanks, Jim."_

Meanwhile the cab had been stopped by the security guards who informed Travis they would have to walk the rest of the way.

Travis said, "We're here."

Hoshi didn't seem to hear him and with tears in her eyes, said, "That was so sad and still so sweet. I wonder if Jon and T'Pol know about Mercy."

Travis repeated gently, "We're at the hotel, Hoshi."

"I know, so get out already."

They climbed out with their packages and as Travis paid the driver, Hoshi dried her eyes with a tissue. Then Travis handed the packages to a Security Guard and they walked down the ramp toward the elevator. As they walked, Hoshi said, "I can't wait to tell Jon and T'Pol what we saw."

"Do you think they will be glad it was on the news?"

"Well, the Captain's supposed to be trying to generate good publicity for the Alliance. I would think he should be pleased how they were shown being kind to a young girl. It especially should be good that a Vulcan is portrayed in that way." Then, with a conspiratorial smile, "It is kind of interesting though that they were out together like that. This may start a few rumors. We'll have to be sure to tell Trip, so he can give them a hard time."

Everyone was ready at the allotted time of one hour before the beginning of the ceremony. Malcolm, Travis, Jonathan, and Hoshi were in their Starfleet dress uniforms. Lester Warren and Chuck Tucker were wearing tuxedos. The bridesmaid dresses were simple designs in Starfleet Blue.

Natalie had decided not to go for traditional white but wore a dress with blue highlights. She waited for her time with Brenda and her sister-in-law.

Trip took his place fifteen minutes before the wedding, noting the chapel was nearly filled to capacity. He saw that Dave was handling the ushering chores. Although he had only known him a short time, he felt he was a good man and remembered how he had been there for Natalie.

Trip talked for a few moments to the minister and then waited nervously for the ceremony to begin. He had spent the time with Jon and Malcom before getting ready. They had discussed the current status of Enterprise. It was apparent that Jon could hardly wait until he was aboard her again.

Travis and Hoshi stood together as they waited for their time to go down the aisle. The sexual tension between them had been steadily rising and they almost found it difficult to concentrate on the wedding.

Greta had managed to get herself under control, but inwardly was still highly excited. She was about to walk down the aisle with Malcolm Reed! She had always found him kind of the mystery man of Enterprise, the one in control of the weaponry.

T'Pol had opted for her Vulcan robes again and had found a seat in the back. She got some attention from those near her but her persona kept anyone from approaching her.

Then the time had come. Chuck and Brenda were escorted down to front and Trip felt a moment of sadness as he thought how Elizabeth would be enjoying this.

In a few moments, Dawn came down the aisle. She was a very cute nine-year-old who was smiling ear to ear. She stopped a few steps away and turned her smile on Trip who found himself returning her smile.

Then Jon and Ellen were coming down the aisle. Trip's minded wandered back to the first time he had ever seen Jonathon Archer. At first, he was just eager to show him what he had discovered about the warp drives, but he came to feel bound to him, to take a journey with him. A wild journey that had led them here, but still had a way to go.

Malcom and Greta came next. They made quite a pair. Trip had to smile to see how obviously excited Greta was, while Malcolm was keeping his stiff upper lip.

Then came Travis and Hoshi. Already they looked like a well-established couple. Two people who looked like they belonged together. He was so happy for them. They each deserved all the happiness in the world.

Then there was a pause and then the music played and Natalie and Lester were coming down the aisle. Trip heart leapt at seeing her. She was so beautiful. He realized how fortunate they had been to have a second chance; how easy it would have been for them to never get back together.

As Natalie walked with her father, she felt a moment of sadness that her mother wasn't here to see this. She felt a moment of guilt but resolutely pushed it back. Then she saw Trip waiting and pure happiness took over. She loved him so much.

When they arrived at the altar, Lester smiled and shook Trip's hand and gave Natalie a kiss on the forehead. He then told them how happy he was for them and how proud he was. Putting their hands together, he went to sit next to Brenda.

The wedding went smoothly and then it was time for their vows.

They turned and faced each other and Trip went first.

"I have traveled to the stars. I have seen sights that many humans will never see. I have experienced adventure and fear. But now I realize that my heart has never left Earth. It will always be here because I have entrusted it to you. No sights, no adventure can match or compete with my love for you."

Fighting back some tears, Natalie composed herself. "In my life, I have made many mistakes, I have hurt those I love. But there was always something there, something I had done right. That was being in love with you. I cannot undo all that I have done, but I know I can go forward and find happiness because I know I am loved and that I love."

The minister then spoke up. "You may kiss the bride."

As they embraced and stepped back, he said, "I present Commander and Mrs. Charles Tucker the third."

The next few moments were a little chaotic as the groomsmen congratulated Trip and shook his hand, and congratulated Natalie and gave her a hug. The bridesmaids did the same but gave them both a hug.

As everyone went back up the aisle and were applauded by the audience, they gathered in the reception room. Archer found T'Pol and addressed her.

"Well, T'Pol what do you think if an Earth wedding?"

"It was quite interesting. Although it lacks the solemnity of a Vulcan ceremony. But I presume it is meant to produce the same goal of commitment."

Archer had to smile, "It is supposed to, but I have a feeling there are more failings than a Vulcan marriage."

T'Pol agreed, saying, "It is very difficult and rare for a Vulcan bond to be broken."

Just then, Lester Warren entered the room and Archer sighed. "It's time to face the press. There is no need for you to participate. Why don't you wait here? It's not supposed to take very long."

"I believe I will do so."

Archer joined the others as they went into the room to deal with the press. He was glad to see they had apparently severely limited the number of reporters and photographers.

As pictures were being snapped, the questions began. The reporters were supposed to limit their questions to the wedding and for the first few minutes, they were innocuous and easy to handle.

Then one reporter asked. "Commander Tucker, what happened between you and Commander T'Pol? Is it true you were the reason she left?

Trip stood there, not sure what to do. Then Archer spoke up, "Do you mind if I take this one, Trip?"

Trip looked gratefully at him and nodded.

Archer turned to the reporter, "Commander T'Pol went on an extended leave to clear up some personal issues on Vulcan. I can assure you it had nothing to do with Commander Tucker."

The reporter looked as if he wanted to disagree or ask another question, but whatever he said would be calling Captain Jonathan Archer a liar without any proof.

Before he decided what to do, other questions were asked. Then one reporter asked, "I understand you and Commander T'Pol were seen together on a hover bike riding around in the countryside yesterday. Could you tell us how that came to be?

Everyone looked in surprise at Archer except Hoshi and Travis.

At first, Archer was inclined to say, that it was none of their business, but decided that would just invite more speculation so he decided to just tell the truth, as least to a certain extent. "Commander T'Pol expressed an interest in seeing a rural part of Earth. I decided a hover bike would enable us to do that to the best advantage."

To everyone's relief, as they had a feeling the questioning was getting more personal, Lester Warren called the conference closed. The reporters grumbled, but started filing out as security guards appeared to aid them in finding their way.

Everyone filed back into the reception room, with the wedding party finding seats at the main table with invited close relatives and friends found seats at the other tables.

Archer broke tradition a little by having T'Pol sit next to him.

Lester Warren spoke first.

"As the one who paid for this, I will usurp the first toast. For all of you that know me, you know how long I have hoped for this day. I have never hidden that Trip has been my choice to marry my daughter. Of course, I'm sure I would have come to be happy if she had chosen another." As everyone looked a little doubtful at him, he smiled and continued, "But I am awfully glad I never had to find out."

As everyone smiled, he turned the mike over to Archer.

Archer looked down at Natalie and Trip and said, "I have known both of these individuals for some time. I admit I was surprised and disappointed when they once broke up. I find it comforting that as much that has happened to all of us since that day, their love has persevered.

Then he smiled, "In fact, I admire both of these people so much that I would be honored to take the place of either one of them and be married to the other."

As the audience absorbed this, "He smiled broadly and went on, "Of course, I would much rather be Trip!"

As almost everyone laughed, Archer let it subside and then said, "Seriously, no one deserves happiness more than them." Then he surprised everyone especially one individual when he made the Vulcan sign and said, "Trip and Natalie, Live Long and Prosper."

Then Trip got up. "This has been a wonderful two days. To be surrounded by our friends and relatives. Natalie and I want to thank those that stood up with us. We love you all. Although it saddens me, I do want to mention two important people that are not with us today. I need to believe their spirits are with us. Let's have a silent moment for Elizabeth Tucker and Rose Warren.

After a moment, he continued, "A philosopher friend of mine, one Malcolm Reed…" The audience interrupted with laughter especially from those from Enterprise. Trip pretended to glare at them and continued. As I was saying, Malcom said, how do you deserve a woman like that?"

Trip reached down and touched Natalie's cheek as she put her hand on his. "The answer, Malcolm, is that I don't. But I will do everything I can to make her happy."

Tearing up a little, Natalie got up and gave him a passionate kiss as everyone but one clapped.

They then broke apart and sat back down as Trip said, "Okay, let's eat."

After eating lightly, T'Pol getting a salad, Lester announced it was time for the traditional first dance.

Trip and Natalie made their way out toward the floor and danced close together, their arms around each other. Then they were joined by Jon and Ellen, Malcolm and Greta, and Travis and Hoshi. In spite of themselves, both Ellen and Greta were a little awed by their partners.

As the dance ended, everyone found their partners before the next dance. Greta appeared to be left out but then Lester asked her to dance.

T'Pol realized the time had come. She had been anticipating and dreading this moment since the previous night. She wanted to have that feeling again with Archer but she felt inhibited in front of her friends and people she did not know.

But then Jonathan was asking her and she found herself out on the floor. She soon forgot about any of the others and relaxed into Jonathan's arms.

Soon, everyone was looking at them. Natalie and Trip smiled at each other as did Travis and Hoshi, Hoshi maneuvered over next to Natalie and Trip and Hoshi said, "Let me tell you about the hover bike."

After a couple dances, Archer and T'Pol returned to the table and sat out the rest. They had noticed the attention they were garnering. It was probably most telling that no one who came over gave them a rough time.

Eventually the time came for the married couple to leave. Natalie tossed her bouquet which was caught by Greta. T'Pol of course had not taken part and Natalie fought her inner demon and did not throw it where she was standing with Jon.

After Trip and Natalie left, the party quickly broke up. Trip and Natalie were taking a quick two-day honeymoon to Paris, because Archer had made it clear he needed Trip back to get serious about getting Enterprise ready.

Archer walked T'Pol back to her room. They had arranged to leave the next morning back to San Francisco and both were eager to get back aboard Enterprise and get back to work. But as they reached her door, they also realized they didn't want this evening to end. As much as they anticipated returning to their mission, they knew it would also bring the return of Captain and Commander.

As they stood there, T'Pol spoke first. "We better get some rest. We have an early flight in the morning."

She knew she would not be sleeping, she badly needed to meditate.

Archer hesitated as if he wanted to say something, but then he said, "Your right." Then as he turned he said, "You are a wonderful partner, T'Pol, Good night."

As T'Pol pondered those words, she said good night and entered her room.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N As I usually do, I want to thank those who reviewed the last chapter, but I hope you know that it is just not "the thing I do" but that I really do appreciate each and every one of them. Thank you to ShanRQuinn, EroSlackerMicha, AnonymCzZ, and LoErneBraska. And of course, my thanks to all of you who follow my story. Just in case I might have confused others with the timeline, there is no gap in time between the series and my story. When we first meet the characters in Chapter 4, only four months have passed since the last episode 'Terra Prime' (No TATV!) and Hoshi thinks about what happened during them.**

 **As usual. I own nothing.**

 **Ok, enough of this note, here is the next chapter.**

T'Pol stood outside the front of the hotel waiting for the others to join her. The remaining bridge crew and Phlox had decided to return to San Francisco together. With the end of the wedding, the huge press contingent had left, leaving only a few cameramen and reporters. The security forces had moved to the front of the hotel to stop the remaining press from accessing anyone leaving. T'Pol had noticed one young woman reporter who apparently was wondering whether she should try to approach T'Pol. She had apparently decided she was unlikely to get anything from her.

T'Pol looked back as Travis, Hoshi, and Phlox came out to join her. Along with the others, T'Pol had noticed how close Travis and Hoshi had been. She noticed they were holding hands. Phlox spoke first, "It was interesting to view an Earth wedding and I was happy for Commander Tucker and Natalie, but am looking forward to getting back to San Francisco and _Enterprise_."

"I believe we all would agree with that," T'Pol answered.

Travis smiled at Hoshi who blushed when he said, "I know we can't wait."

T'Pol did share Phlox's thoughts about getting back, but she also could not help but be disappointed that the time she had spent with Archer the past week would be ending. They had shared a closeness that she knew would not be present when they returned to their roles as Captain and Commander.

Those thoughts were interrupted when Captain Archer and Lieutenant Commander Reed joined them.

Archer spoke up, "Good morning, everyone." As the others answered in kind, he continued, "I heard from the driver, he has been held up by an accident that slowed traffic, but he should be here soon."

Just then the female reporter T'Pol had noticed earlier had apparently gathered her courage and moved toward them with a photographer close behind. As a security guard moved forward to intercept her, she called out, "Captain Archer, could I please just talk to you for a moment, I will be brief."

For some reason, Archer decided to give her a chance. He called out to the guard, "Let her pass, but not the other."

Looking grateful, she approached them, now beginning to look a little nervous at her presumption. "Thank you, Captain."

Archer answered, "Your welcome. Now what was so important and you did promise to be brief."

Getting closer to him, she spoke in a low voice, "This is my first assignment, and it would be a big help to me if you could just give me a quote." She smiled ruefully as she held up a recording device, "No one back at the paper expects me to accomplish anything."

Archer said, "I was honored to be the best man at Commander Tucker's wedding and am happy for him and Natalie, but now I am looking forward to returning to _Enterpris_ e and getting back to work."

The reporter looked stunned, but then sported a big smile and said, "Oh thank you, this should take the smirk off those know-it-alls back at the office."

Just then a limo pulled up and Archer and the others got in.

The trip to the shuttle and the ride back to San Francisco was uneventful with the talk mostly concerned about how the wedding had gone, and the others bringing T'Pol and Archer a little more up-to-date with what had been done with _Enterpris_ e.

When they arrived back in San Francisco, Travis and Hoshi said they were both going to head home and get some rest. They told everyone they would be at _Enterprise_ in the morning. Everyone nodded seriously and Archer watched bemusedly as they rushed off. Phlox had a huge smile and said, "They certainly were in a hurry. You'd think they were anxious to get started at something."

T'Pol stared after them and wondered if such feelings were possible and would ever occur for her.

Archer said, "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I am planning to go to _Enterprise_. I have missed a lot of what has been done, but I plan to be involved from now on."

Phlox turned him down, saying he had planned to try get a call through to Denobula but would see them bright and early in the morning.

Malcolm said he had to run an errand but would join them on _Enterprise_ later.

Archer turned to T'Pol, "How about you?"

"I too wish to see what has been done and am looking forward to getting to work."

When they arrived aboard _Enterprise_ , they were greeted by Lieutenant Hess, who was in charge. "It's good to see you Captain, Commander, welcome back."

Archer answered, "Thank you Lieutenant, where is everybody?"

"Between those who went to the wedding and aren't back yet, and of all those who put in long hours during their absence, anyone currently on board is working in Engineering."

Archer continued, "I was a little surprised you weren't at the wedding."

"Both Trip and I wanted me to be there, but we decided we needed to have someone here to supervise the work"

Archer looked around, the area seemed different somehow. Her realized it was perhaps slightly larger, but the biggest change was that the walls were painted in a lighter color, it made the room seem more open.

Archer turned to T'Pol, "I don't know about you, but I admit I'm anxious to see the Bridge."

"I would be interested in that as well."

Archer turned back to Hess, "We will join you in Engineering later."

Nodding her acknowledgment, Hess headed off. Archer and T'Pol made their way to the Bridge, discovering the path was basically the same.

Upon arriving on the Bridge, they discovered that although it looked much the same, significant changes had been made. Behind the Bridge where there had been a table type display, there was now a full wall screen tied to highly sophisticated scanners. T'Pol was surprised to find they were Earth made, although they seemed to be based on Vulcan sensors she had worked with before. The basic layout of the Bridge was the same, but every station was much more sophisticated in technology. Along with the scanners there were more advanced communications and more control over the workings of the ship.

As they studied the Captain's chair and other stations, they realized much of the new additions were features that would be instrumental in coordinating with other ships, with working with a fleet. The room behind the Bridge contained many tools for developing plans of controlling ships in maneuvers. In effect, it was a war room.

T'Pol noticed that her sensors and scanner were more conducive to probing other ships and charting their paths than being used for scientific purposes.

When discussing the changes that were being made to _Enterprise_ , Archer had expressed his concerns that they needed better ways to defend themselves. He realized that they had taken that and ran. The new _Enterprise_ was no longer built primarily with exploration in mind, it was a warship.

They also checked out the Captain's Ready Room. It seemed about the same but there were no longer girders that Archer would have to avoid hitting with his head as he walked around the room. It also was equipped with the same new technology as they found on the Bridge.

The apparent new role of the ship was brought home even more when they visited the Armory. It had been greatly expanded in size and contained a huge inventory of torpedoes. While they were taking this in, Malcolm joined them. "Pretty impressive, huh?"

Archer turned to him, "I am a little surprised Trip didn't mention all this when I talked to him."

Malcolm shrugged, "Trip was really busy in Engineering, installing and working on bringing everyone up to speed on the new warp drives took most of his time. He left the Armory to me."

T'Pol then spoke up, "These seem to be significantly different that the torpedoes we used before."

Malcolm became animated, "These make the others seem like popguns. They're very similar to the ones on Vulcan ships. The Vulcans have become very forthcoming on sharing their weapon technology."

He turned to Archer, "Wait until you see the new phase cannons. They are much more powerful and are built into the ship. We now have the capability to fire in any direction simultaneously."

Archer shook his head a little, "Well, Malcolm, you seem to have gotten what you wanted, but I have to admit I am not completely comfortable with the ship _Enterprise_ has become. I wanted to be able to defend ourselves better, but this ship seems built basically for the purpose of waging war."

Malcolm answered, "With all due respect, Sir, I am afraid that is what is needed. We cannot afford to be caught without the ability to protect ourselves. And with what we know of the Romulans, I don't believe we are finished with them."

T'Pol added, "Although I also wish it were different, I must agree with Commander Reed. I must admit as a Vulcan, I am surprised to defend preparation for war, but it would be illogical to not heed the indications of danger to Earth and other planets."

Archer knew they were right, he more than anybody should know of the dangers they had encountered. He also knew that the future was fraught with possible sources of confrontations. It just seemed Earth had lost its innocence much too quickly.

"You two are right of course, I guess I am just sorry to see it happening. I just hope someday we can get back to exploring."

As they continued on their tour, they found that although the mess hall looked the same, the kitchen had been changed with the addition of many more facilities for storing perishable foods. There also was a larger area for cultivating plants.

They realized the extra space for the Armory and kitchen had come from doing away with the area that had been used in the Xindi campaign to study data.

After determining that Sick Bay and the officer's and crewman's quarters had been basically left the same, they returned to Engineering to find Hess and the others getting ready to leave.

Archer looked at his watch and discovered it was only 1500 hours.

He approached Hess, "All done for the day, Lieutenant?"

Hess turned to him, "Yes, Sir, we have been starting earlier in the morning to give the crew more time off in the afternoon."

Archer continued, "Is there much left to do?"

Hess looked a little nonplussed, "Yes, Sir. But we feel we can work these hours and be ready when Commander Tucker returns."

Archer put on his command face, "I would feel more comfortable if we finished as soon as possible. I also need to have you and the rest of the crew here so I can be sure we all are ready to proceed with testing."

He turned to the watching crewmen, "Everyone will report for duty at promptly 0800 hours in the morning, in uniform, and expect to put in a very long day. The exact time will depend on how much we have achieved. We will continue in this way until _Enterprise_ is fully functional."

Noticing the looks the crew gave each other and hearing one of them muttering under his breath, Archer asked, "Is there a problem, Crewman Aster?"

Aster at first looked down, but then raised his head back up, "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

Archer said, "Go ahead."

Gathering himself he said, "We have all been working hard while you have been off gallivanting around who knows where. I think you should take a few days to get reacquainted with the ship before you question what we have been doing." He then added, "Sir."

Archer smirked, "I did give you permission to speak freely," which gained a few chuckles and a sheepish look from Aster.

"While it is true I have been 'gallivanting around' as you put it, and while I have no doubt that you have all been working very conscientiously as I can tell after looking around the ship, I feel it is time for all of us to get back to a more normal schedule and to work together to finish up. Because I have been gone, I have a lot to learn and I will need the help of all of you to accomplish that. Therefore, although I can understand your concerns, I am afraid I must insist."

"Is there anyone else who has something to say?"

Apparently, no one else was willing to speak freely and when Archer looked pointedly at Aster he shook his head no.

Archer then turned to Hess, "I will need you to contact the rest of the crew, excluding officers, and have them here in the morning."

Hess quickly answered, "Yes, Sir."

Archer then turned and left with T'Pol and Malcolm following him.

Archer spoke again, "Malcolm, I need you to contact Travis and Hoshi and let them know they are expected to be in their places as well."

Malcolm answered, "Yes, Sir."

After leaving _Enterprise_ , Malcom said his goodbyes and Archer and T'Pol took a shuttle back to Starfleet headquarters and the nearby Vulcan compound.

As they disembarked, Archer asked T'Pol if she wanted to join him for supper. When she agreed, they arranged to meet at a nearby Chinese restaurant. The conversation at the meal was reminiscent of meals they spent together on _Enterprise_ , discussing ship business. When they arrived back at the Compound, Archer hesitated and said," Thanks for joining me, Goodnight, Commander." Noticing him saying Commander and feeling that and the meal were his way of recognizing they needed to return to their former roles, she answered, "It was satisfactory for me as well, Goodnight, Captain."

The cab ride to Hoshi's apartment seemed to take forever. When they arrived, they rushed up the stairs and as soon as they were inside, engaged in a passionate kiss. As she felt his hands begin to roam over her body, she tore herself away, saying breathlessly, "I'll be out in a minute."

Grabbing her bag, she disappeared into the bathroom. Getting herself under control, she quickly disrobed and as she fixed her hair, she inspected herself in the full-length mirror. She had spent the previous night wearing out her razor and was pleased with the results.

Smiling, she dug in her bag and pulled out a black Teddy she had bought when she had sent Travis on an errand when they were shopping. Slipping it on, she liked what she saw and knew Travis would too. It ended about mid-thigh and showed a little cleavage.

She went back out the door and was gratified to see Travis waiting in just his underwear shorts. She also found herself blushing a little when she could see he was already excited. She also felt warm all over when she saw his eyes widen upon seeing her and his mouth drop open a little.

Travis was stunned, she was so beautiful, he managed to get out, "God, Hoshi, you are beautiful."

Hoshi smiled back and said, "You are beautiful yourself."

Then she come up to him and kissed him passionately as they fell back on the bed. The kiss seemed to last forever until Travis moved his lips down to her neck. Hoshi moaned and brought her hands up to caress his bare chest and swirled her fingers on his nipples. She then pulled back and leaned down to tease them with her tongue.

Travis moaned also, then pushing her back, he quickly slipped the Teddy up over her head. He then pushed her gently back on to the bed and took her breasts one by one into his mouth, licking at them with his tongue. Hoshi arched into him. Travis then moved down over her body touching and licking her everywhere. When she could not stand waiting any longer, Hoshi pushed him back and they worked at removing his shorts. Then Hoshi, in a voice Travis barely recognized, said, "Now, Travis, now."

As he entered her, Hoshi realized, although she was not a stranger to sex, this was new to her, the lust and pleasure were intensified by her friendship with him, her respect for him, her love for him.

They moved together, each striving to give the other as much pleasure as possible, until they collapsed in bliss.

Hoshi was overwhelmed, but she managed to say, "Travis, that was…."

Travis kissed her gently and said, "I know Hoshi, it was for me, too."

As they lay down together, Hoshi snuggling to get impossibly close to him, she said, "I love you Travis."

Travis produced the wonderful smile she loved so much and said, "I love you, too."

While they were resting together, Hoshi's communicator buzzed. Seeing it was Malcolm, she answered.

"What is it, Malcolm?"

"The Captain told me to call you and tell you that he wants you, on _Enterprise_ , in uniform, at 0800 tomorrow."

"All right, Malcolm. Thanks, I'll be there'"

"Okay, I'll let you go, I need to call Travis."

Hoshi looked at Travis, who shrugged.

Hoshi went on, "You don't have to do that, Malcolm, he's with me, I'll tell him."

There was a small hesitation, then Malcolm said, "Good. I guess I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Malcolm."

"Goodbye, Hoshi."

Looking at each other, Hoshi smirked, "Well, at least it's the afternoon, we could just be hanging out."

Travis looked at her, "In your apartment?"

Hoshi said, "We could be just talking." Then she shrugged, "I don't think it matters, I think they all know what's going on anyway."

After a little more snuggling and kissing, they rose, took separate showers, and went out to one of their favorite restaurants. When they returned, they made love again, both of them realizing that was what it was, making love, not just sex.

Since Travis had everything he needed in his bag, he stayed the night. The next morning, they decided they could save time by showering together. Somehow, it didn't work out that way. They didn't make love but did a lot of touching. When they came out, they were stunned at what time it was. They quickly got ready and called for a cab, but realized it was likely they wouldn't make it. They both knew, that although Captain Archer was laid back and was not much for the trappings of being a Captain, there was one area that was definitely important to him. In fact, he was almost obsessive about it, and that was someone being on time, especially for reporting for duty. So, when they entered the bridge at 0820, they were ready to be talked to. To their relief, they saw Archer wasn't there, but then they saw T'Pol was. She raised her eyebrows as they entered and made a point of looking at the time.

They realized they were in for it. Not that T'Pol was a snitch, but she took her First Officer duties seriously and would never keep such a dereliction of duty from the Captain.

So, when Archer joined them about an hour later, it was no surprise that T'Pol asked to see him in his Ready Room. It was also no surprise when, as T'Pol returned to the bridge, she told them the Captain wanted to see them.

As they entered and saw the Captain seated behind his desk, he gestured to the two chairs and they hesitatingly sat down.

"T'Pol informed me you were both twenty minutes late reporting to your posts today. Is that true?"

Both answered, "Yes, Sir."

"I assume that Commander Reed informed you both that you were to report at 0800."

Travis answered "Yes, Sir," as Hoshi nodded in agreement.

Archer looked at them, concentrating on looking stern. He knew they were both hardened soldiers that he would trust with his life, but he could not help feeling a little fatherly toward them, especially Hoshi. He was delighted that they had apparently gotten together. If any two people deserved happiness, it was them. In any case, he had already decided to let it go; after what had been going on for all of them the last few days, he himself had trouble getting back to the routine. But a Captain had to have some fun too.

"I don't suppose either of you have a good excuse for your actions."

Hoshi snuck a look at Travis. There was no way they were going to tell him they were late because they took a shower together.

They both answered, "No, Sir."

"I find it curious you were both late. Was one of you late picking the other up, or was it just a coincidence."

Archer smiled to himself as Hoshi snuck another look at Travis. She then said, "It wasn't a coincidence, we did come together. But it was both our faults." God, Hoshi thought, that sounded so lame. Maybe they should tell him they were together. It wasn't like they were under age or anything. They also held the same rank so Starfleet had nothing to say about it. Not that she thought the Captain would ever report them anyway.

Looking at them, Archer decided he had been a jerk long enough.

"Well, since it is the first real day we have all been back to work for a while, I guess I can let it go this time. But, let's not make it a habit."

A little stunned, Hoshi and Travis couldn't believe their luck. Travis gratefully said, "Thank you, Captain. You'll not have to worry about us."

"All right." Then he gestured toward the door, "Dismissed."

Hoshi and Travis quickly exited.

As soon as they left, Archer allowed himself a big smile.

With the return of Trip from his honeymoon a couple days later, the entire crew quickly settled down to work. Archer worked his way from one department of the ship to another, gaining first hand and often hands on training on every facet of the ship, wanting to become as knowledgeable of the new _Enterprise_ as he had been of the old. He felt he needed to intimately know its workings so he would know what it could and couldn't do when the time came.

Trip was just as diligent in immersing himself and his crew in the workings of the new drives.

Two months after everyone had reported back to duty, Archer and his officers felt the ship was ready to begin its testing.

During that time, T'Pol and Archer returned to their former roles as Captain and First Officer. But they found that they worked much more efficiently together. They had not forgotten what had happened those days they were together, but both were satisfied to be back working as a team.

Archer had also not forgotten about his idea to have Mercy McBride join them for a Warp test. As he later told T'Pol, the Admiral had been reluctant at first, worried as T'Pol had surmised about it setting a precedent. But then he seemed to recall something and surprised Archer by agreeing to allow it. He insisted however on having only one person accompany her. He also decided it was best to happen on the second test, assuming no major problems were encountered on the first one.

It wasn't until a long time later they learned that the son of a good friend of the Admiral had died of Torrin Syndrome.

All of the preparation of the crew paid off when the first warp test went flawlessly. As they prepared for the second test, Archer contacted George and Martha McBride about Mercy being on _Enterprise_. They were of course overjoyed. He apologized that only one person could accompany her, but they told him that was fine because it would be Mercy's mother Jane that would go with her. They told Archer she was a widow and had been so happy for Mercy when she heard what had happened.

Archer had also arranged to have a child size Starfleet uniform made for Mercy with the rank of Commander. He had assumed she would want to emulate her hero.

With everything set, it was only a couple weeks later that Archer and T'Pol found themselves waiting at the airlock as the shuttle carrying Mercy and her Mother docked with _Enterprise_. When the door opened, Mercy, wearing her Starfleet uniform, said solemnly, "Permission to come aboard?"

Archer, just as solemn, "Permission granted."

They then wasted no time entering _Enterprise_ ; the door closing behind them.

Jane McBride was a slim woman with brown hair down to her shoulders. She was pretty but would not be considered beautiful.

Archer smiled and said, "Good to see you again, Mercy." He then turned to her mother and said, "Welcome aboard, Mrs. McBride."

Jane smiled and it lit up her whole face. "Thank you, Captain, but please call me Jane."

"Only if you call me Jonathan."

Mercy moved up in front of T'Pol and said excitedly, "Hi, T'Pol."

T'Pol looked down at her and said, "It is agreeable to see you again, Mercy." And then looking at Jane, "And to meet you," with a slight hesitation, "Jane."

Jane answered, "It's good to meet you at last, T'Pol, and I can see why Mercy is so impressed with you."

T'Pol arched her eyebrows slightly and acknowledged the remark with a slight dip of her head.

Archer broke in, "Well, it will be a little while before we will be cleared to depart, so I thought we could at least start a tour of the ship. If that would be all right with you, Jane."

Jane smiled again and answered, "That sounds great. Don't you agree, Mercy?"

"Yeah," then turning to T'Pol and asking a little anxiously, "You're going with us, aren't you?"

T'Pol said, "Of course," and brightening considerably, Mercy got right by T'Pol's side.

Archer smiled more broadly and had Jane walk by his side with Mercy and T'Pol following behind.

"I thought we could start in Sickbay, am sure Dr. Phlox would like to meet you."

They walked down the hall and entered Sickbay, Archer stepping back and holding the door to let the others pass through. Phlox came forward to greet them.

"So, this is Mercy McBride." Turning to Jane, he said, "It is a pleasure to meet you both, I am Dr. Phlox."

Jane answered, "Good to meet you, Doctor, I am Jane McBride. But there was no need for you to introduce yourself, everyone knows of you and your remarkable record."

Phlox smiled in return but before he could continue, Mercy broke in, "Do you really have three wives?"

Jane shouted out, "Mercy!"

Phlox just smiled a little more broadly, "It's fine. Yes, Mercy, I have three wives and they each have three husbands including myself."

Jane said, "That must make for quite a family."

"Yes, I have five children, and four grandchildren with my wives, and they have fourteen children and nine grandchildren with their other husbands."

Jane went on, "How do you keep track of it all? Do you all live together?"

Phlox answered, "Denobula is shall, we say, very densely populated. Each of us has homes close to each other and tend to move around amongst the different partners. Remember each of those other husbands also have three wives."

Jane, shaking her head, "I think that's enough. I don't know how you do it. Humans have enough trouble trying to keep track of one spouse."

Suddenly, they realized Mercy has found the animal pens when she broke in, "What are these?"

Phlox hurried over, calling out, "Be careful, Mercy, don't put your hands in any of them. Those are creatures I use in my work."

For the next half hour, Phlox showed Mercy how to feed the various animals. Although Jane got a little queasy at times watching, Mercy enjoyed herself, even when she fed a small live animal to the bat.

When they returned to the others, Phlox said, "That was well done, Mercy." He said to the others, "I think we could have a future scientist or doctor here."

When Jane looked sadly at him, Phlox realized his mistake, but Mercy didn't seem to notice. She told her mother, "You should have come over and helped, it was cool."

Jane shuddered a little and said, "I could see well enough from here."

Archer then said they should continue their tour and said their goodbyes to Phlox. Archer had decided to avoid the Armory. Malcolm had seemed a little nervous about anyone seeing what they had, even a little girl and her mother, telling Archer they still could say what they saw and someone else might make use of it. Archer thought that was a little paranoid but went along because he figured it might not be that much of interest to Mercy anyway.

So, they went to Engineering, where Trip did an excellent job of entertaining and impressing both of the visitors. Of course, the Warp Engine was so impressive, he didn't have to make much of an effort to do so. Getting them to understand how much distance they would cover in a small amount of time proved to be difficult, but by avoiding any technical explanations, he gave them some idea of what they would experience.

Trip told Archer it would probably be about another hour before they would be ready to leave. As Mercy and Jane thanked Trip, Archer led them to the mess hall.

Mercy spoke up, "T'Pol, could I maybe see where you live?"

T'Pol answered, "If you wish. But I am not sure the Captain or your mother are as interested."

Archer broke in, "Why don't you two go ahead and Jane I will go in the Captain's Mess, perhaps have a drink and talk for a while. I will call you when it is time to go to the Bridge."

T'Pol said that seemed logical and she went off with Mercy as Archer led Jane into the room and went and brought back coffee for both of them.

As they sat there, slowly sipping their drinks, Archer could see a sadness in Jane. He realized what a strain it must be for her knowing of what lay ahead for Mercy.

Jane broke the silence. "I hope you realize how much this has meant to Mercy. She has been talking about nothing else since you and T'Pol saw her at Mom and Dad's stand."

"It has been our pleasure. It's amazing to see her and T'Pol together."

"Yes, I am ashamed to admit that I was once actually afraid that she would somehow find out that her hero was a cold individual who would not give her the time of day. Instead T'Pol has been wonderful, but still being Vulcan."

Archer smiled ruefully, thinking how he had once thought something similar. "Being around other species does show that there are things we all have in common, but that doesn't take away from how special T'Pol really is. I know she has freed me from a lot of misconceptions."

Archer hesitated and then asked, "I probably have no right to pry and you don't have to answer, but could you tell me what happened to Mercy's father?"

Jane didn't say anything but slowly sipped her coffee. Archer was about to apologize for asking when she said in a quiet voice, "Stephen McBride was a good man, but he was very introverted and shy. It took me a long time to make him understand and believe that I loved him."

She took another sip and continued, "After we were married, he gained a little self-esteem, but when we decided to have a baby, I had trouble getting pregnant. The doctor told us it was at his end. That of course brought back Stephen's feelings of inadequacy. The doctor tried to explain it had nothing to do with manhood and he could subscribe some medicine that should help."

"When I did get pregnant, he was so excited and proud. Then, we discovered Mercy had Torrin Syndrome. That was the final straw for him. The doctor and everyone tried to tell him that he was not at fault, that one reason so little progress had been made on a cure, was that no one had been able to find a common ground in the gene pool of Torrin parents."

Jane looked into Archer's eyes, "Nothing helped. When Mercy was six months old, Stephen killed himself."

Archer, wishing he had never asked, said, "I am so sorry, I had no right to ask."

Jane put her hand on his, "Don't be sorry. It helps to talk about it sometimes. Of course, we never told Mercy the truth, just that her father died when she was young."

Then, apparently relieved to let out some of what she carried with her, she continued, "I am so afraid of what lies ahead. Each day I dread seeing the first symptoms that the end is coming. I suppose it is a blessing that she will be fine up until the final month or so. At some point she will be completely bedridden and then the last week, they'll have to knock her out with painkillers."

Then suddenly she erupted, "God damn it. It's not fair, why must Mercy have to face this? She is so special. She should be looking forward to a family and a career, not…" She then broke down and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

Archer got up, and moving around the table, pulled her up and enveloped her in a hug, she continuing to cry into his shoulder. After a time, she recovered control. She asked where she could clean up and Archer directed her to a small washroom off the room.

When she returned, Archer could see she was embarrassed.

When she said, "I am so sorry, Jonathan, I didn't plan to lay that all on you."

Archer quickly said, "It's all right. I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you. I don't know how I would handle it."

As they sat back down, she managed a small smile and said, "You have to remember, I have lived with this a long time. I am usually able to just concentrate on being strong for Mercy, to try to make her life as normal as possible."

Archer reached out and touched her hand, "If you are worried about how you acted around me, don't think a moment about it."

Jane put her hand over his, "Thank you, I guess I have needed to vent for quite a while."

As T'Pol and Mercy arrived at T'Pol's quarters, she entered her code and they went in. The room was of course spotless with nothing out of place.

Mercy looked around and exclaimed, "Wow, I'm glad my Mom ain't seeing this. She's already all over me for the way my room looks."

Taking a longer look, she said, "This is pretty small, are all the rooms like this?"

"The Captain's is larger and some of the crew share a room, but they are all similar to this one. Space is of a premium on a Starship."

Mercy, looking into the bathroom, "No bathtub! How do you take a bubble bath?"

"I am afraid we have to settle for a shower."

Seeing her action figure, Mercy ran over to the shelf. "You did put it on your shelf. Cool."

Coming up beside her, "Of course, I said I would."

A little contrite, "Sorry, didn't mean anything, just excited to see it there."

"I know you did not."

Then Mercy saw a figurine of Surak.

"Who is that?"

"That is Surak, the Father of Vulcan logic."

"Can I see it?"

T'Pol took it down and handed it to Mercy, "Yes, but it is fragile, so please be careful."

Saying okay as she took it gingerly, "It's heavier than it looks."

"It is made from a very dense but brittle stone from my planet." Reaching out she continued, "Let me put it back now."

As T'Pol put it back in its place, Mercy asked, "So, he's the guy that makes you so serious?"

"He is the one who taught us the importance of controlling our emotions, so they are not what rule us."

"I think Mom wishes I could control mine sometimes. It must be cool to be able to do so."

"It is our way. But I have discovered there is value in Human emotions also."

Mercy caught T'Pol off guard by asking, "Was Trip your boyfriend?"

After a slight hesitation, "We were close friends during a very trying time; but as I understand the term, no, he was not my boyfriend."

"His wife is pretty."

"I believe she is considered so."

"Not as pretty as you though."

Before T'Pol could process what was going on, Mercy continued. "How about Captain Archer? Is he your boyfriend?"

"He is my friend and commanding officer. Mercy, why…"

Mercy suddenly got quiet and then said quietly, "T'Pol, do you ever think about dying?"

"Vulcans make every effort to stay in the present, but I have at times contemplated the end of my existence." Then quietly, "Mercy, why are you asking these questions?"

Almost as if she was speaking to herself, "I know I'll never grow up and be on a Starship."

T'Pol answered quietly, "Although it is unlikely, there are always possibilities…."

Continuing as if she had not heard T'Pol, "I watch movies and see people falling in love, getting married and having babies and I know I'll never do any of those things. It's so unfair!"

T'Pol laid her hand on Mercy's shoulder, "It does seem so. But today you will do something that most Humans will never do, you will travel at Warp."

Mercy suddenly smiled and seemed to break out of her mood. "I will, won't I. That's way more cool than getting married and having to kiss a boy, don't you think?"

T'Pol, amused, removed her hand, "I believe I would find it so."

"Did you know that no one with Torrin has ever lived to be twelve years old?"

"No, I was not aware of that."

"Yeah, the record's held by a German kid named Ludwig Gunter. He lived to be eleven years, nine months, and ten days old." Smiling, she said, "Maybe I'll beat his record."

T'Pol reached out and caressed Mercy's hair, "I believe you will."

Just then they heard the communicator buzz. When T'Pol answered, the Captain said it was time to go to the Bridge.

When they all arrived on the Bridge, Archer smiled as he saw both Jane's and Mercy's eyes widen as they took it in.

Mercy just stared, her eyes moving around, trying to absorb everything. The computers, the Captain's chair, the view screen showing San Francisco below. Then, they were all there, Hoshi, Travis, and that guy who's name she could never remember.

Archer then spoke up, "Lieutenant Sato, Lieutenant Mayweather, Commander Reed, I would like you to meet Commander Mercy McBride and her mother Jane. The Commander will be helping me to conduct our tests today." As everyone called out greetings, Mercy realized what the Captain had said.

She managed to get out. "Help you?"

Archer looking stern, said, "Of course, T'Pol has asked me to make you temporary First Officer in her place."

Mercy switched her head to T'Pol who said, "I have performed these tasks before, I believe we need to have someone else aid the Captain today. Since you outrank the others here, you have been chosen."

Archer said, "Well, we are about ready to begin, you better take your seat."

With Jane a little stunned but happily looking on, Archer helped Mercy onto the Captain's chair. Everyone tried to stay in role, but they all were moved by the joy on Mercy's face as she perched on the front edge of the huge chair. Mercy turned to her mother. "Look, Mom, I'm in Captain Archer's chair."

Her Mother smiled back, '"I see that you are."

Mercy looked back to the front and to everyone's amusement and joy, said, "This is so cool!"

Archer then hit the communication button on his chair and contacted Engineering.

Trip answered and Archer asked if they were ready to begin. Trip said, "Everything is set down here. Whenever you're ready."

Archer said in a low voice to Mercy. "We can't go to Warp until we're outside the Solar System. Tell Travis, full impulse."

Mercy, in a loud voice, "Travis, full impulse," then giggled when Travis said, "Yes, Ma'am."

Then Mercy's eyes got big again as she felt the ship begin to move. Suddenly the view screen showed Earth as they moved away from it. Mercy and Jane were entranced as the viewscreen showed the planets as Enterprise moved toward clear space.

As they passed out of the System, Archer whispered to Mercy, "Tell Travis to take us to Warp 3."

Mercy looked serious and said, "Travis, Warp 3, please."

This time Travis answered, "Aye Ma'am, Warp 3."

Suddenly the stars on the viewscreen disappeared as _Enterprise_ went to warp. But Mercy just looked disappointed as she really couldn't feel the difference.

She asked, "Did it work?"

Seeing her disappointment, T'Pol asked the Captain if she could take Mercy and Jane to his Ready Room so they could see the phenomenon through the window.

Archer quickly agreed but Jane decided it should just be Mercy and T'Pol.

After they had been gone for some time, Archer headed for the Ready Room. As he entered, he felt his heart swell. T'Pol was holding Mercy in her arms by the window with Mercy laying her head against T'Pol's shoulder. He could tell T'Pol heard him, but he quickly left before Mercy noticed him.

He decided not to tell the others, feeling he had interrupted a special moment.

A little later, they came out. Meanwhile, Archer was working with Trip on how _Enterprise_ was reacting and whether they were ready for the next big step. Trip told him everything looked good and he saw no reason not to proceed.

Archer helped Mercy sit back down and then whispered to her, "Okay, Mercy, this is the big moment. I want you to tell Travis to go to Warp 6. That will be faster than _Enterprise_ has ever gone. It will be faster that any ship from Earth has ever gone and I need you to give the order."

Mercy eyes got even wider than before. Taking a determined breath, she called out, "Travis," she then looked at Archer, who nodded. She turned back, "Travis, Warp 6."

Travis played along, saying, "Are you sure, Ma'am, we've never gone that fast. How about Warp 5?"

Mercy looked a little worried at Archer, but he let her know to go ahead.

Mercy looked stern, and said, "No, Warp 6." Then as everyone tried not to laugh, she said, "Don't worry Travis, it will be cool."

Travis turned back to the controls and slowly recited, "Warp 4, Warp 5, Warp 5.3, Warp 5.6, Warp 6!"

He turned back to Mercy, "We did it!"

Mercy grinned from ear to ear and then did a high five with the Captain. Soon everyone joined in giving Mercy a big hug except T'Pol. She just said, "Well done, Commander." Jane stood by with tears in her eyes.

After everyone settled down, Archer had Mercy order Travis to return them to Earth.

When the shuttle from the surface had docked and the airlock opened, everyone, including Trip and Phlox, were there to say goodbye. After everyone but Archer and T'Pol had said goodbye, Jane spoke up, "I just can't express how much we appreciate how wonderful you have all been. We will never forget what you have done."

Archer smiled, "Believe me, it meant as much to us." He then turned to Mercy and said, "Goodbye, Mercy."

Mercy was looking up at T'Pol, "Can I have a hug?"

T'Pol looked down and said, "Of course." She then sat down on her haunches and Mercy came up to her and put her arms around her neck. T'Pol hugged her back.

Suddenly, Mercy said, "I love you." She then released T'Pol and ran to the door, saying "Goodbye, Captain Archer," as she left.

T'Pol looked stunned for a moment and then recovered and became stoic as she rose. The others looked on shocked with tears forming in Hoshi's eyes.

Jane, also struggling for composure, looked at T'Pol, smiled warmly and said quietly, "Thank you."

Although T'Pol still looked stoic, her voice showed emotion as she said, "She is essential to me as well."

Then with her voice back to normal, "Live long and prosper, Jane McBride."

Jane smiled and said, "Goodbye, T'Pol"

Then nodding again to Archer, she exited to the shuttle. As the airlock closed behind her, she found Mercy sitting in the corner of the Shuttle, looking forlorn.

"What's wrong, Mercy, why did you run off like that?"

"Vulcans don't like that mushy stuff, but I just had to let her know how I feel. Was she upset? Is she mad at me?"

Jane softly stroked Mercy's hair, "No, Honey, she wasn't upset at all. In fact, in her own way, she said she loved you too."

Mercy smiled and said, "Really? That's cool." Looking up at her Mother, "Do you think I'll ever see her again?"

Jane held Mercy to her, "I don't know, Mercy."

As she pulled slightly back from her mother's embrace, "Do you think I could write her? Do you think that would be okay?"

"I am sure she would appreciate it."

"Cool!" After a few moments, "Can we stop at Dairy Freeze and get a Sundae on the way home?"

Jane, smiling broadly, "We sure can!"

"With extra fudge?"

"With extra fudge."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N Special thanks again to my reviewers LoErneBraska, EroSlackerMicha, and ShanRQuinn. To ShanRQuinn - I am afraid Greta caught the bouquet. Thanks also to the all those still following my story, I do appreciate you all. I still am just borrowing these characters for a while.**

Although the officer and crew of Enterprise were confident of her abilities after another series of testing, Admiral Gardner insisted they do one more, and ordered them to "Drive her hard." He explained Enterprise was the prototype for a new series of spaceships and he needed to be sure there would be no problems.

As Archer was tied up with the testing, fortunately others were taking up the drive for an alliance. Shran had found an unexpected ally in Queen Helena and with her help he was able to convince General Thrang to have Andoria reach out to the other governments. Working with Soval and Minister Kuvack, they were able to get permission from T'Pau to hold joint Fleet operations. The Tellerites, not to be outdone, suggested a 'good will tour' with one ship of each of the four planets to join in and to intersperse the crews, having crew members from each planet take positions on the other planet's ships.

In a surprisingly short time, the details were set and both events were set up to occur. In fact, both would occur simultaneously. Gral, Archer, Soval, and Shran would take part in the good will tour, leaving other officers to take part in the joint operations.

Solon, First Citizen of the Romulan Empire, walked through the halls of the Palace with Tribune Torok, the recently appointed Advisor to the Praetor on Military Policy. In the time since Vandor had taken power, he had completely changed the tenor of palace life. It now consisted of competent, dedicated individuals ready to make changes to the Empire. He had also reduced his amorous undertakings, but not abandoned them completely.

Torok was speaking, "Do you know why the Praetor asked us to meet with him this morning?"

"No. To be honest, I have not talked to him much in the last few weeks. He has been wrapped up in studying some information that was heavily encrypted on the old Praetor's computer and the code was only recently broken."

They arrived at the area outside the Praetor's office and were quickly cleared through the ring of security surrounding the entrance.

When they entered the office, they found Vandor at his desk looking intently at a computer screen. They also noticed a viewing screen set up behind the desk.

He looked up and smiled, "Solon, Torok, have a seat."

As they were sitting down, he turned his attention back to his computer.

Then he turned to them and said, "You are probably wondering why I wanted you two here on such short notice. Frankly, I could not wait to inform you of my plans. I'll warn you that I am deadly serious on what I am proposing."

Seeing he had their full attention, he said, "I have decided to launch an attack on Earth."

To say Torok and Solon were shocked would be a huge understatement. It even took Solon a few moments to return to his stoic self.

Torok blurted out, "Attack Earth? For what possible reason? You don't really believe they pose any kind of a threat, do you? They only have a few ships capable of warp 5 and are not particularly advanced."

Vandor ignored him for a moment and said to Solon, "So Solon, what is your opinion?"

Solon, with his usual bluntness, "I am afraid I share Torok's doubts. I assume this has something to do with Vulcan and the other planets of the Quadrant, but I don't see how attacking perhaps the weakest of the planets will gain us a great deal; unless you think it will serve as a warning to the others. I would think it would bring up their guard. Also, they might decide to back Earth against us. We would have a war on our hands. With the current situation in the Empire, I am not sure we are ready for that."

Vandor smiled and said, "Excellent, you both have made very good points and have described the situation accurately with the information you have available. I am afraid I was unfair because I have based my decision on information you did not have access to."

He sat back a little and said, "First of all, we all underestimated my predecessor. When I was able to read the information that he had protected, I was quite impressed."

He smirked, "It made me almost feel bad about doing away with him." He then smiled and said, "Almost."

"But enough of that, I am sure you wish to hear what I discovered."

"We start by going back a couple years before Earth launched _Enterprise_. If you were not aware, that was the name of their first Warp 5 ship."

"Do either of you remember Centurion Farrak?"

Both nodded and Torok spoke up, "He was one of the Praetor's right-hand men. Then he just disappeared, we all assumed the Praetor had sent him on an important mission."

Vandor nodded, "He did indeed. He sent him to Vulcan."

Torok showed his surprise, while Solon raised an eyebrow.

Vandor continued, "He sent him with two purposes. First, just to see firsthand where Vulcan society was at. Secondly, he wondered if it would be possible to perhaps be able to make use of one or more Vulcans to somehow increase a Romulan chance for a successful takeover."

"One reason he chose Farrak was that he looked more Vulcan than many of us. More like you, Solon."

When the others just continued to listen intently, he went on, "Farrak found that Vulcan had changed a lot during the years. It was apparent that they had abandoned much of what Surak had taught. This enabled him to be successful beyond his highest expectations. He was able to find five Vulcans willing to act as agents for Romulus. One of those was an individual who became obsessed with the idea of Vulcan and Romulus re-uniting. Of course, he assumed it would be as partners. Farrak let him keep that illusion."

"To Farrak's amazement, this man, V'Las, rose to be the head of the High Council. We had a Romulan admirer as the most powerful man on Vulcan."

Solon spoke up, "That is quite remarkable. How did Farrak plan to make use of this opportunity?"

"He needed to find something that would fit in with V'Las's belief that Romulus was interested in joining with a strong Vulcan as equals. He convinced him it would be in the best interest of both parties if Andoria was removed as a possible obstacle to their plans."

"Because of V'Las's arrogance, Farrak was able to convince him that a surprise attack would enable them to make short work of Andoria. Farrak knew that was very unlikely, and that the ensuing war would severely weaken both planets; thus giving Romulus the opportunity it had long desired, the return in triumph to our rightful home."

"In preparation for the invasion, Vulcan established a listening post on a remote site containing a monastery called P'Jem."

"V'Las was also worried about a group of individuals that attempted to follow the teachings of Surak. They were pacifists and he was afraid they could be a roadblock in his plan for going to war with Andoria. However, he was able to drive them out of any access to power and into hiding."

"So, at this point everything was proceeding as planned. They even had a bonus in that Andoria was also at odds with the other only real force in the area, the Tellerites. It only seemed a matter of time until their plans would bear fruit."

He paused, "And then _Enterprise_ was launched."

"Before I go any further, I think I need a drink. Torok, will you join me in an ale? And can I get you some water, Solon?"

When both agreed, Vardon had his orderly bring the drinks and then when he had come and gone, started again.

"I think now I should introduce you to the individuals that will be the major characters in what I am about to relay to you."

Dimming the lights slightly, he typed on his computer and images appeared on the screen behind him.

"This is Enterprise. Not particularly impressive, it was capable of Warp 5 but its armaments would hardly match up to any of our fleet."

Torok interrupted, "What is the source of this information?"

"This data was brought back from Vulcan by Farrak. You have to realize that Vulcan was deeply involved with Earth for over one hundred years. They also kept tabs on what was happening after _Enterprise_ was launched. As the head of the High Council, V'Las had access to all materials and he provided that information to Farrak."

A picture of Archer appears on the screen. "This is Captain Jonathan Archer, captain of _Enterprise_ and one of the stars of our little story. It may be interesting to you to know that the Vulcans did not want him to be the captain, they felt he was too impulsive and also anti-Vulcan. It appears his father was the creator of their warp drives and he felt the Vulcans held their warp program back. He blamed them when his father died before seeing his creation come to life in _Enterprise_."

"That has changed since then and the main reason for it is this Vulcan."

A picture of T'Pol appeared on the screen. This is T'Pol, who came to serve as First Officer on _Enterprise_."

He looked for some time at the picture and then turned back, "She is quite beautiful, isn't she? I hope she lives through the war. I would like to deal with her personally."

Inwardly, Solon shook his head, it appeared nothing could stop Vandor's lust from being involved.

Vandor then quickly showed pictures of Soval, Gral, and Shran.

He then turned off the screen and brought the lights back up. "T'Pol was put on _Enterprise'_ s first mission because of the mistrust the Vulcans had for Archer, but when that mission was over, she chose to say aboard, the first of many fateful decisions our participants would make."

"As you remember, I said the Vulcans installed a listening post in a monastery at P'Jem. This was the scene for the first major step leading to the situation that has caused me to bring you here."

Finishing off his ale, he continued, "Somehow, the Andorians came to suspect that the listening post existed and sent raiding parties to look for it but were unsuccessful."

"One of these raids was led by a relatively unimportant Commander named Shran. He was not accomplishing any more than the previous raids had when fate or karma chose that moment for Captain Archer to decide to pay a visit to P'Jem apparently based on no more than curiosity."

"He was accompanied by T'Pol and a certain Commander Tucker, who will also play a part in the journey to our present point."

"Although the Andorians mistrusted Archer and the others as tools of the Vulcans, the events that transpired led to Archer discovering the location of the listening post."

"Then, to the amazement of those involved, he had T'Pol take incriminating photos of the post and had her give them to Shran. He then allowed him to leave."

Solon spoke up, "He did this even though he apparently had not encountered the Andorians before, and they were longtime partners of the Vulcans?"

Vandor smirked, "Yes, and you may be beginning to see how Archer and T'Pol are the heart of what eventually occurs."

"A few months after that, the Andorians warned the Monks to leave and destroyed the monastery and listening post. As you would expect, this made a huge impact on Vulcan, Andoria, and Earth."

Torok then joined in, "I assume that both T'Pol and Archer were severely reprimanded by their superiors, perhaps even faced charges."

Vandor smiled again, "Yes, that might be the most obvious result but the actual one was quite different. Apparently, Earth decided to back Archer because the listening post had been a breach of a previous agreement between Vulcan and Andoria. There also seemed to be a bond between Archer and his commanding officer, an Admiral Forrester."

"Also, the effects on Vulcan were surprisingly varied. Of course, V'Las was outraged and sent a ship to have T'Pol removed from _Enterprise_ and returned to Vulcan. But there were also a great many Vulcans who were bothered by the fact that V'Las had used a religious site to hide his listening post. They even applauded Archer for exposing his blasphemy. Chief among them was Syran, the leader of the group that V'Las had forced into hiding. Especially among younger Vulcans, T'Pol was regarded as a hero."

"In the end, V'Las's plans for an invasion actually suffered a setback. Although it did cause many Vulcans to become enraged against Earth and Andoria, it was more than offset by exposing the mixed feelings Vulcans had about the situation. And of course, the loss of the listening post deprived V'Las of valuable information he desired before planning an attack."

"And somehow, Archer was able to persuade the Captain of the ship sent to bring T'Pol back, that she should remain on _Enterprise_."

"It was sometime later that our protagonists would meet again and once more step across V'Las's plans. Both Andoria and Vulcan claimed a planet that had a strategic position in relation to their home worlds. A hundred years before, they had agreed on a treaty that kept either planet from occupying it. But then the Andorians broke the treaty by placing an armed force on it. The Vulcans retaliated and the opposing ground forces fought to a stalemate, each controlling areas of the planet. It was also rumored that Andoria would send ships to reinforce their position. Since the Vulcans wouldn't allow it, it seemed that V'Las would get the confrontation he sought to start a war."

"But again, the Elements apparently had something else in mind. The leader of the Andorian forces was a recently promoted Regional Commander called Shran."

Seeing the look on Torok's face and the raising of Solon's eyebrow, he continued, "Yes, our old friend from P'Jem."

"Another of our protagonists now enters the arena. The Vulcan forces included the long time Ambassador to Earth, one Soval. He had been in the area and hoped he could perhaps head off a war. Shran agreed to discuss the issue, but only if one individual would serve as intermediary. The one man he felt he could trust that would also be acceptable to the Vulcans."

Solon almost whispered, "Archer."

Vandor smiled again, "Yes, Solon, I see you are beginning to see a pattern, a series of events that will lead to my belief that Earth must be attacked."

"It should be noted that Archer and Soval were hardly admirers of each other. Soval had been the main force in trying to stop Archer from commanding _Enterprise_ , and Archer felt Soval was the main reason his Father was stopped from achieving his dream. As it turned out, Archer was able to work out a cease fire that led to peace talks between Andoria and Vulcan which put a serious crimp in V'Las and Farrak's plans."

"Not only that, but Soval admitted that he was beginning to change his opinion of Archer, that he had been of help in achieving the cease fire. And, of course, the trust between Archer and Shran continued to grow."

"I will speak only of the Xindi story briefly. I know you have all heard the fantastic stories that swirl around it. Tales of Time Travel, of how the destroying of the area called the Expanse somehow saved at least the Quadrant and perhaps the Galaxy from transcendental beings."

"I only want to mention some concrete things that resulted from it that have some effect on what I am discussing. First, it made T'Pol and Archer heroes on Earth. Second, there seems to be enough corroboration that show Archer has the ability to be ruthless if forced into it. It also shows the resilience of Humanity. Apparently, our good friend Shran also provided some help. But they also had a falling out when Shran attempted to take charge of a prototype of the Xindi weapon but was stopped by Archer. Finally," and he gave a leer, "There were stories that T'Pol and Commander Tucker had interspecies sexual relations. Now, I really would like to meet this T'Pol."

Solon grew a little more concerned, it appeared that Vandor had some sort of obsession with this woman.

Vandor rose and said, "I think we all need a break. I have arranged for a small lunch and then we can reconvene. I would like to know what your reactions are at this time. Go ahead, Torok."

"Well, Sir, I admit you have made some interesting points, but I still can't see where this could be a threat to the Empire. Unless you are planning something that this would obstruct, I think we should concern ourselves with the internal problems of the Empire."

Vandor turned to Solon, "How about you? Do you agree with Torok?"

"I think I need to wait until I hear the whole story. You must know that what you have presented so far, while quite intriguing, does not nearly justify what you are proposing."

Vandor smiled, "Careful as always. Come, let us eat."

After lunch, during which they had talked about other matters, they returned to Vandor's office. After everyone was comfortable and replenished with liquid, Vandor continued.

"Back on Vulcan both Farrak and V'Las decided that time was running out on them. The treaty with Andoria was holding and the Syrannites were gaining more followers and supporters. They decided they would try to do something that would give them an excuse to go after the Syrannites and also something that would bring Earth back to its alliance with Vulcan and maybe even cast doubts on its attitude toward Andoria."

"Their plan was to destroy the Earth Embassy on Vulcan while planting evidence that is was done by the Syrannites. They also planned to plant the seed that perhaps the Andorians would be supportive of the bombing as trying to create a wedge between Earth and Vulcan."

"When the bombing occurred, Admiral Forrester was killed while saving Ambassador Soval's life."

"As expected, it quickly brought _Enterprise_ and Archer to Vulcan. The attempt to imply that Andoria could be involved made no impression on Archer, but he was completely fooled by the false evidence and now Earth and Vulcan were united against the Syrannites. They told Archer that they would not need his help, that it was a Vulcan problem and they would keep Starfleet appraised of the situation."

"But now someone they had never worried about, suddenly caused serious problems with their plans. Perhaps it was because Forrester had saved his life, or perhaps the many years on Earth had affected his feelings toward humans, but as it was learned later, Soval convinced Archer that he should do his own investigation. That he should believe no one. He even helped Archer get to the surface. He then performed a mind meld that proved that the evidence had been planted. V'Las quickly moved against him and had him removed from his position but everything was threatening to fall apart."

"Deciding he had no choice, V'Las plunged forward. Finding out that Archer was probably with the Syrannites, he used military force to make _Enterprise_ leave Vulcan. He then launched an all-out attack against the Syrannites, destroying their camp. He then ordered the long-awaited surprise attack against Andoria."

"Unfortunately, it was all doomed to failure. Soval had completed his treachery by telling Commander Tucker, who was in command of _Enterprise_ , about V'Las plan to attack Andoria. Tucker immediately set a course for there and they were able to contact Shran and the Andorians were waiting when the Vulcan ships arrived. Tucker also put _Enterprise_ into the heart of the battle. Although the Andorians were outnumbered, the combination of the loss of the advantage of a surprise attack and the prospect of Vulcan ships destroying an Earth vessel caused one of the members of the Council named Kuvak to revolt and attempt to stop the attack. V'Las stopped him with force, but then something unexpected and extraordinary happened."

"Archer and the leader of the Syrannites arrived at the Council at that moment. They brought with them an artifact called the Kir'Shara that contained the writings of Surak. In the moments of the confusion that followed, Kuvack was able to break free and when V'Las lost all control and tried to destroy the Kir'Shara, he was shot."

"Kuvack then took command and recalled the fleet. V'Las was deposed and the council eventually named T'Pau, the leader of the Syrannites as head of the Council."

"It was also claimed that Archer had actually carried the Katra of Surak. I am not sure I believe all that, but it made an impression on the Vulcans."

"V'Las made his way to Farrak. Getting him to calm down, Farrak then killed him when he turned his back. Farrak then returned to Romulus, leaving his other contacts as spies on Vulcan."

"Well, when the Praetor learned what had happened, he quickly moved to hide all evidence of his failure, including disposing of Farrak."

"Now, wanting to redeem himself, he turned to an idea that had been presented to him by Senator Vrax and Admiral Valdore. He had thought it far-fetched and unworkable, but now was desperate enough to try anything."

Torok broke in, "Is what you are going to tell us the reason Vrax was killed by his Reman guards? And why Valdore was banished to that isolated outpost?"

Vandor nodded and then began, "Apparently Valdore had this plan to create a drone that could be controlled at extremely long distances using telepathic signals. He discussed it with his former colleague from the Senate Vrax because he needed some funding to work on it. Vrax saw how it could be tied into an idea he had long considered of building ships that could be configured to look like enemy vessels to confuse them in a battle. Finally, they hammered out a plan to create two drones that would be able to imitate both the appearance and the weaponry of several species' ships. But then they had the problem to find a telepath powerful enough to control the drones."

"Then Valdore remembered that during one of his missions spying on Andoria, he had heard of a race of telepathic natives called the Aenar that lived in a remote area of Andoria. Valdore took three ships and after observing the area for some time, were able to find a member of the tribe who had wandered off. They drugged him and returned him to Romulus. When he woke up, they told him he was the last of the Aenar and that the rest had been wiped out by order of the Andorian Imperial Guard. The truth was that the drugs they gave him made him highly conducive to suggestion and he believed what they told him and agreed to help them."

"This was the plan the Praetor now embraced. He planned to use the drones to create conflict and unrest in the Quadrant. To pit the planets against each other. When the first drone was ready, they used it to simulate Andorian ships when attacking Tellerite freighters and vice versa. They were quite successful in raising tensions."

"Then the Praetor learned that the Tellerites and the Andorians were planning to hold a trade conference on Babel to attempt to resolve their differences. He decided to use his drones to try to disrupt the conference. He ordered Valdore to attack the Andorian ship carrying the Andorian Ambassador with the drone appearing to be a Tellerite warship."

"The plan worked perfectly. They were also amazed to find that the drone had such maneuverability that it was able to avoid being hit and actually destroyed two Andorian ships."

"But now knowing how outside forces seem to be guiding their paths, guess who commanded one of the attacked Andoria ships; who is able to save only a small portion of his crew when his distress signal is answered. And who commands the rescue ship?"

He smirks, "If you were not thinking Shran and Archer, you have not been listening."

"There was a reason however, that _Enterprise_ was nearby, it was carrying the Tellerite Ambassador to Babel for the conference. Andoria would not let the Tellerites bring their ships into Andorian territory and so The Teller turned to who they perceived as a neutral intermediary, Earth. We also meet one of our last major players, Ambassador Gral of The Teller."

"We don't know what happened aboard _Enterprise_. We could assume there must have been some tension between Shran and Gral. The next thing we do know is that _Enterprise_ finds the drone, which has had problems and is in the process of repairing itself. It is able to finishing doing so and goes to warp. However, it is troublesome that _Enterprise_ found it. Then suddenly there are again problems with the drone and it is discovered that two humans, one being Commander Tucker, apparently boarded the drone when it was still damaged. They are able to disable the drone once again as _Enterprise_ finds them again. While Valdore waits for the ship to repair itself so it can go to warp, he is able to fend _Enterprise_ off. But then he discovers that a fleet of ships is approaching at high warp. To his astonishment and consternation, he realizes it is made up of ships from all three planets, The Teller, Andoria, and Vulcan. Such a feat had never been accomplished before. As the two humans abandon the ship, the drone recovers and is able to escape back to Romulan space."

As Vandor paused to finish off his ale, Solon said dryly, "I would assume that the Praetor was less than pleased with the results of the mission."

Vandor had to grin, "You do have a talent for understatement. In actuality, the Praetor was livid. He had set out to destabilize the region and instead they were apparently more united then they had ever been before. He of course was not going to take the blame, so someone else was going to take the fall."

"But with all he had invested, he decided to give Vrax and Valdore one more chance. They assured him they would recover by using both drones to destroy _Enterprise_. It appears they had come to the same conclusion as I have, that Archer is the rock upon which any alliance rests. It is Earth that has provided a new beginning, a new path to follow."

"They launch both drones and are able to lure _Enterprise_ to them by destroying a freighter. As expected, _Enterprise_ is no match for the two drones and the battle is going well, but then suddenly there is another mind interrupting the telegraphic link. They had figured out how the drones were controlled. Whoever the individual was, he was able to convince the Aenar that what he was doing had to stop. Before Valdore could stop him, he set the two drones against each other. By the time Valdore killed him one drone was destroyed and Enterprise finished the other one off."

"As you mentioned before, Vrax paid the full price, while the Praetor felt Valdore was too valuable to kill, so exiled him to the far reaches of the Empire."

Vandor hesitated and got himself more comfortable. "We're about done. Does anyone need anything?"

Getting negative nods, he continued, "About a year ago, there was a conference of several planets on Earth in the hope of creating an Alliance. Progress was being made when an interruption came from an unlikely source. Apparently, there is a group on Earth that calls themselves Terra Prime that believe Earth should stay out of space and free of aliens. They actually threatened an attack on Starfleet if all aliens didn't leave. But then instead of leaving, Vulcan and other planets put their ships in the path of the attack. Then the rebellion was crushed. But it appears that they still have an underground movement that could cause problems again. Soon after that the Conference failed and the participants left."

"But Earth didn't give up and using the connections of the individuals we have talked about, have taken concrete steps toward creating an Alliance between Earth, The Teller, Andoria, and Vulcan."

"From all I understand, I believe it will be created. I don't need to point out such an Alliance would seriously compromise our hopes of reuniting with Vulcan."

"I also believe there is time to prevent its formation by taking Earth and Archer out of the picture."

"I also believe events that will soon take place provide the means to strike an even more telling blow."

"They are planning a 'Good will tour' that will have ships from each planet going on a small excursion together. It looks like all of our individuals will take part. If we attack Earth while they are gone, we will be able to ambush them as they hurry back. We can destroy all the main proponents of the Alliance at one time."

Vandor rose and poured himself another glass of ale. He then also refilled Torok's glass. Getting back in his seat he asked, "Well?"

Torok took his time and then spoke, "I am not sure that an attack will accomplish as much as you think. If it is successful, will we not be at war with all of them? After all, destroying that fleet will be an act of war."

"You point is well taken, Torok, but I do not believe a war with all of them is avoidable. It will surely be true if they form an alliance. Isn't It better to strike now, before the alliance is formed. At least there is a chance that the others will just decide it would not be worth going to war for Earth."

"Besides, there are other factors involved. This is probably the time when the forces of the planets are at the weakest. As time goes on, and there is an Alliance, they will be a much formidable force, having worked together. There is also no doubt that Earth's forces will certainly grow and become more powerful as time goes on."

"One last point, T'Pau has reduced the Vulcan fleet to a much smaller force. While it is true she may reduce it further, it is also likely she would increase it if she agreed to join an alliance."

Torok persisted, "Do you think you can deliver such a large blow to Earth? How may ships are you planning on sending? And are we ready to fight a sustained war if one is necessary?"

Vandor smiled, "I plan on sending twenty ships for the first attack. I plan to have them armed with dirty thermo-nuclear weapons. They will destroy their largest cities and military facilities. They will also pollute the air. If they do then go to war, I think we can afford a fleet of two hundred ships that with our cloaking advantage will be enough to quickly end the war."

Torok said resignedly, "I think you are still underestimating them. Although I agree with the devastating effect of the nuclear weapons. I can also see you are set on this. I promise you my full support."

Vandor turned to Solon, "You have been quiet, Solon, where do you stand?"

"I believe your logic is sound. The most cogent point is that this is likely to be our last best chance. The tide of time is against us. As Torok says I believe you have already committed yourself to this. I have no arguments that I can or wish to raise that will dissuade you. I of course will support your decision."

Vandor smiled, "Thank you." He then pulled up information of the screen as to time, ships to be involved, etc. "This is my initial proposal. I of course welcome your input."

Shran sat at the console usually used by Malcolm Reed on board _Enterprise_. He had been offered to be the Captain of the Andorian ship that was part of the 'Tour' but had decided it would be more interesting to spend some time on the Enterprise Bridge. As he looked around he saw T'Pol was at her usual post and Archer was in his seat, but the Communication station was manned by a Tellerite. Travis was at his post because Archer made it clear he would trust no one else in that position.

Shran turned back to Archer. He was always amazed at how his friendship with this human, this Pinkskin had grown. He thought back to the initial meeting at P'Jem and hated to think how differently it might have gone. You could have knocked him over with a plog's tail when Archer had told T'Pol to give him the tape.

He then looked over at T'Pol. His relationship with her, a Vulcan, was probably more amazing. Hell, she was his friend. Thinking of them both, he sometimes wondered if there was something between them, something more than friendship. In a way he hoped so. She was certainly beautiful and although he couldn't imagine being with a Vulcan, he just had a feeling they would be good together. Maybe it was because he had found such happiness with Jhamel that he wanted it for his friends too.

T'Pol was engrossed in her scanners. It was as she and the Captain had surmised, they were well suited for following ships movements and presenting them to a screen in front of her. She also had the ability to look outside the ship and bring the picture to her console. Thinking of the Captain made her turn and glance toward him. Although she was pleased with how they were working together, sometimes she remembered how she had felt when they had danced and when she rode behind him on the Hover Bike. Chiding herself for such thoughts, she decided she needed more meditation.

Archer caught Shran looking at him and wondered what he was thinking. He inwardly shook his head at the thought of their friendship. Who would have ever imagined it would turn out this way?

Thinking of friendship, he thought back to the conversation he had with Trip a few days before they left on this tour. Trip had seemed nervous and then acted a little apologetic. But when Archer finally got him to just say it, he proudly said that Natalie was pregnant. After getting the Captain's heartfelt congratulations, he then quietly told Archer he was resigning his commission and leaving Starfleet after the tour. He was going to work for Lester Warren and design and build Warp engines and Starships. Archer did not try to hide how much he would miss him on _Enterprise_ but he also made it clear he understood and told him there was no man better suited for what he was going to do. They then unabashedly gave each other a hug. Trip had then shared his news with the crew and they all reacted similar to Archer. They declared there would be one big goodbye party when the tour was over.

T'Pol had been stoic but it was clear she was moved. She even joined in by giving him a hug.

Thinking of T'Pol made him turn to her and saw her staring intently into her scanners. In spite of himself, his eyes lingered on certain parts of her body. He sighed and decided he probably should take a cold shower later.

At the same time, twenty Romulan warships prepared to decloak in high orbit over the Earth.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N Thanks to EroSlackerMicha, AnonymCzZ, and LoErneBraska for their reviews. Thanks to them and all those who honor me by reading my story. I do not own these characters but knowing you all are reading brings me joy.**

Admiral Preston Duvall passed through security and entered the super-secret headquarters of the Earth Defense Command at exactly 0900. As with its distant forerunner NORAD, it was contained within a mountain. It had been created as a response to the Xindi attack and was the core of a series of steps that had been taken to try to give Earth possible protection against future attacks.

He would be taking command for the next seventy-two hours. Then after seventy-two hours off, he would return for another stint. Admiral David Masters greeted him as he approached the command station.

"Good morning, Preston. Right on time as usual."

"Good morning, David, wouldn't want to make you work overtime."

"Well, as usual, there's not much going on. Do want to let you know that the President is at Starfleet meeting with Admiral Gardner. Also, as you know, _Enterprise_ is off on the good will tour or whatever they call it."

"Thanks, David. Well, if that's it, why don't you get out of here, I'm sure Sally is waiting for you."

"Yeah, my granddaughter has a birthday party tomorrow. Will be nice to see everyone."

As he left, he said his usually parting shot, "Take care of anything, try not to let the Earth get destroyed, I need this job."

Duvall moved behind the table and sat down in the command chair. Just then, his second in command took his seat just to his right. While the senior officers worked their three-day shift, the rest of the personnel were assigned for a year at a time, living on site. Captain Justin Harvey just had three weeks to go before he would be leaving. His replacement had already been there for three months. All of the positions were offset like that to be sure everyone was aware of what was needed.

Harvey spoke up, "Good morning, Sir. Here's the latest data from the teams."

There were three different groups in the compound. The command station was located in the center with each of the teams occupying a third of the area around it.

The first team was the data gathering group. They gathered data from a myriad of sources. The main one was a series of 'listening posts' consisting of satellites containing highly sophisticated long-range scanners that constantly monitored every section of space.

They also received reports from sub-warp ships that were constantly on patrol. Then there were less sophisticated sources like cameras on the same listening posts and even tips that citizens could call in to a data bank. The last was mostly in respect to Terra Prime who had been added as a threat to monitor.

The second group was communications. The set up that Archer had used for his fairs was based on what the Command Center had. There were alternate paths and backups for every type of communications. Duval had two 'phones' on his table, one to get directly to the President and the other to Starfleet.

The last group was the military arm. Unfortunately, Earth did not have a powerful Warp fleet. There were only four Warp 5 Starships and only Enterprise had been upgraded.

Basically, there were three lines of defense. The first was an anti-missile defense. It was doubtful that an enemy would use weapons they would be effective against, but it had existed before and had been modernized just in case.

The second was the aforementioned fleet of sub-warp ships along with some warp 1 and warp 2 ships. The fleet had been built up to forty ships armed with phase cannons. They were constantly in the air, patrolling from orbit and also in reconnaissance missions deeper into space.

The last effort was that it had been decided that at least one of the four starships would be on hand at all times. Currently the only ship available was Duvall's old command, the _Intrepid_. It had been getting repairs and was still in a hanger in space, but Captain Martin had assured Starfleet they were ready for action.

No one involved with the defense kidded themselves. They knew those defenses would probably not be enough, but a least they had something with which to fight back, to give themselves a chance, or at the very least, buy some time, get advance warning.

As Duvall finished up reading the reports, he and Harvey took a tour, checking what the current situation was and talking to the team members.

They had just finished in the scanning section and were heading back to the command desk, when they heard someone exclaim, "What the hell?"

They turned back and saw that several individuals were looking in amazement at their monitors.

Duvall asked, "What is it?"

Everyone tried to talk at once, finally, Duvall got them to speak one at a time.

"I swear, Admiral, it wasn't there just a few moments ago and I haven't had anything unusual on my sensors at all."

Duval snapped, "What wasn't?"

Then another interrupted, "Here, Admiral, I have a visual of it."

Duvall hurried over and his blood ran cold when he saw a ship with a warbird emblazoned on it. At that moment his fears were confirmed when another voice announced, "The scanning computer has given a 97% certainty it is Romulan."

As Earth ships headed for the scene, the Warbird fired three missiles toward the Earth. Two of them were intercepted and destroyed by anti-missiles, but the third hit Geneva and created a thermo-nuclear explosion.

Stunned, Duvall exclaimed, "My God, they're using nuclear weapons."

As they watched, the ship began to cloak, but an Earth ship arrived and hit it with several phase cannon blasts. The Warbird was damaged and became visible. Two other Earth ships then finished it off.

Duvall, recovering from the shock, announced, "I'm sure he isn't alone, I'm going straight to Code Red."

He turned to the head of the military team, "Jenkins, get all our reconnaissance ships back here at once."

Jenkins, who was still staring in shock, snapped out of it and said, Yes, Sir." He then started working with communications to contact the fleet.

Duvall took it upon himself to contact _Intrepid_.

When he established contact, he was connected to Commander Christopher Stallings, _Intrepid's_ First Officer.

"Where is Captain Martin, I need to talk to him."

"Sorry, Admiral, he took a few days off to take his family camping. I can try to reach him if you want."

"There won't be time for that." Duvall took a deep breath. He knew that Stallings had just been assigned to _Intrepid_ but Martin had spoken highly of him. Well, they would soon find out what kind of an officer he was.

He went on, "Well, Commander, then I guess you're the one."

He then used his Admiral voice. "What we believe is a Romulan ship decloaked and destroyed Geneva with a nuclear weapon. We destroyed it but I am sure it is not alone." He saw a startled look on Stallings face but it quickly disappeared. "We have called the outlying defense fleet home. You are to proceed to the coordinates that are being sent now. We are also including information on their ships. You are to monitor the situation and move to confront and destroy the enemy."

Then his voice got quieter, "I know you will do us proud."

"Thank you, Sir,"

After Duvall signed off, Stallings took a breath and looked at the shocked faces of the others on the bridge.

"Lieutenant, did we get the coordinates and information?"

Snapping out of her shock, Lieutenant Warner said, "Getting them now, Commander."

Turning to his helmsman, he told him, "Set a course when you have them, but wait for my order to proceed."

"Yes, Sir."

Turning to his Armory officer, he smirked and said, "Well, I guess this is it. I have a feeling we will soon know what this ship is capable of."

Turning back to Warner, "Put me through to the crew."

When she signaled it was ready, Stallings took a deep breath and announced. "This is acting Captain Stallings, I have just received notice that Earth is under attack by a hostile power. This is not a drill. All personnel will report to their battle stations. I repeat, this is not a drill."

He turned back to his Armory officer, "Sound Red Alert, bring up all weapons and polarize the hull."

He then turned to his Helmsman, "Okay, Ensign, I don't want to be caught in this hanger, get us out of here. One half impulse."

Duvall looked around the room and felt a sense of pride. In spite of the horrible shock they had suffered, the teams were back at work, handling the situation professionally. He picked up one of his phones and was connected to Admiral Gardner.

Gardner, sounding exasperated, "Okay, Admiral, do you know what the hell is going on? We are getting reports of some kind of Nuclear devastation in Geneva."

Duval quickly filled him in. Gardner sighed, "Well, we have talked about war in the future, but I would never have imagined that it was start this soon or like this."

Duval said quietly, "I understand the President is with you, have you heard anything about his family?"

Gardner looked over at Samuels, sitting in a chair in the corner, his head in his hands. "As you can imagine, all normal lines of communication are down. We used high level Starfleet frequencies to get in contact with our personnel nearby. It appears that both the Presidential Palace and the Parliament building were destroyed. Thank God Parliament wasn't in session."

Pausing, he said, "Have you contacted Captain Archer and the rest of the starships? We don't know how widespread this attack is. They may be in danger."

"No sir, I'll contact them at once."

"All right, I am leaving you in charge for now. You have the resources. Contact me immediately with any change in the situation."

"Yes, Sir."

Tribune Kratar, commander of the Romulan Fleet of now nineteen ships, was not happy. This mission had been half-cocked from the beginning. He wondered what had possessed the Praetor to be in such a hurry, that the attack needed to take place now. Oh, he knew he said it was because it provided an opportunity to kill the individuals most prominent in the promotion of some sort of Alliance, but surely they could have taken the time to develop a plan for that.

Instead, he had been ordered here apparently because his was one of the few fleets equipped with nuclear weapons and were within range of reaching Earth on time. Actually, Kratar had the feeling that it was the fact they were about the only fleet that was within range that made him decide to use nuclear weapons in the first place.

But this was no way to run a Romulan Hover Rail. There had been no probing of defenses, no advance scouting. He had found that Earth had established a reasonably potent defense force, especially since his ships needed to go into the atmosphere and decloak to launch the weapons.

He had decided he was not going to risk the entire fleet and had sent one ship. As he had feared, after they fired the missiles, they had been attacked before they could completely cloak.

If he dared, he would abandon the mission and just go on with the plan to wait for _Enterprise_ and the others to return. But he knew the Praetor would have his head if he gave up so easily.

He knew what he needed to do. He needed to greatly weaken Earth's defenses and then proceed with the original plan. He was outnumbered but they had analyzed the ships and knew they were no match for his fleet. But he also knew he would suffer more casualties.

Reluctantly, he gave the order for the fleet to decloak and launch an attack against the Earth's ships.

Just as Duval finished his call with Gardner, the scanner team informed him that nineteen ships had decloaked and were heading on an arc to attack the Earth fleet.

Duval quickly informed Gardner and sent a message to the other three starships. Then, after having everyone monitor the situation, and seeing nothing more to do, hoped against hope they could somehow repel the invaders.

At Starfleet, after reluctantly informing the already depressed President of the latest developments, Gardner collapsed into his chair, feeling numb and helpless. By the time any of the Starships returned, it would be too late. And even if they could somehow arrive in time, it would still be doubtful they could affect the outcome.

If only there was some other way to obtain help. Then, he suddenly sat up and literally hit himself in the forehead. How could he have been so negligent, so stupid?

He went over to the President. "Mr. President."

Samuels looked up, his face haggard and looking like he had been crying. Gardner hated to interrupt him but he needed his help and maybe it would help him that he could do something.

"Mr. President, I need your help."

Samuels straightened up a little and asked, "What is it, Admiral?"

"We need to contact the Vulcan and Andorian fleets that are holding maneuvers. I need you to convince them to come to our aid."

Samuels sat up straighter, "Can they get here in time?"

"From what I know about where they were planning to hold them, I think it is possible they could make it. Depending of course how long we can hold on. But in any case, they might be able to cut short the damage the Romulans inflict."

Samuels rose and said, "I'm ready, let's get this done."

Captain Kess of the Vulcan Cruiser _Satara_ sat in his chair conversing with his Andorian counterpart, Commander Wetain. After some initial clashes of cultures, Kess felt the exercise had gone well. He was still repelled by the wild emotions of the Andorians but also found they could be very professional and were quite proficient at their duties. He was also surprised at the capabilities of their ships. He realized they could be a valued ally.

For Wetain's part, dealing with the Vulcans was like working with robots. He had to admit their ships were the most powerful he had seen, and the crews worked with precision; but he missed the interactions between the individuals on the bridge. The Vulcans never used two words if one would do. But he had come to realize what a powerful partner they could be.

Their conversation was interrupted when the communications officer announced. "I have a message marked urgent and sent on a top priority protocol. It is from the President of Earth."

Wetain showed his surprise and Kess raised an eyebrow, "Put him on the screen."

When the picture appeared, both commanders were shocked to see the obvious stress on the President's face.

"I am Captain Kess of the Vulcan Starship _Satara_ , this is Commander Wetain of the Andorian Imperial Guard. How may we be of service to you, Mr. President?"

His voice raspy, Samuels quickly said, "Earth has been attacked by forces of the Romulan Empire. They destroyed one of our cities. We stopped further attacks on Earth, but they are now destroying our defenses. It is only a matter of time before they will be able to resume their attack. We need you to come to our aid immediately."

In spite of himself, Wetain gave a small gasp, while Kess also had to fight to remain stoic. But then he said, "I do not have the power to make that decision. It would most likely put Vulcan into a state of war with the Romulan Empire."

Samuels face showed shock and despair; he desperately appealed to Wetain. "How about you Commander, will you come?"

Wetain fought a battle within himself, then reluctantly said, "My last orders where to treat Captain Kess as my superior officer. In any case, I have not been able to contact Andoria for some time. Like the Captain, I cannot make this decision for Andoria."

Seeing the utter despair on Samuel's face, Kess continued, "The High Council must make the decision, I will contact them at once."

Resignedly, Samuels said in a voice barely above a whisper, "Very well, do what you must do. But for God's sake do it quickly." He then signed off.

Kess, exchanging a glance with Wetain, turned to his communications officer, "Sub-commander, get me through to the High Council, use the highest possible level of urgency."

Not able to completely hide her surprise at him utilizing a very rarely used protocol, she said, "Understood, Captain."

Minister S'Tal sat at his station in an otherwise empty High Council. He was surprised to hear the communication computer signal an incoming message. He was completely stunned to see it was using a protocol reserved normally for threats to Vulcan itself.

Hurrying over, he answered, "This is Minister S'Tal, are you aware you can be held accountable for using this protocol without due cause?"

"This is Captain Kess of the _Satara_ and I am well aware. I need to speak immediately to Minister T'Pau."

S'Tal blanched a little, "I am afraid that will not be possible, both she and Minister Kuvack are going through the Kenari and will not be available for several hours."

S'Tal thought how T'Pau and Kuvack had debated where they should both take the deep mind cleansing and healing ritual at the same time. In the end they had decided it was illogical to think that something would happen in a twelve-hour period that could not be handled by others.

Kess had continued, "I received a message from Earth that they are under attack from the Romulan Empire and need immediate help. Who is in charge that can make the decision?"

"I am alone here." As of speaking to himself he went on, "I have only been a minister for a short time, my expertise is agriculture."

Kess, with a hint of contempt in his voice, "Then, I am to wait until Minister T'Pau is available?"

S'Tal straightened his back, feeling a little embarrassed by his showing of weakness, "No, I am in command, I represent the High Council, you are to go to Earth's aid."

A little surprised at the change, Kess asked, "You do realize this could be construed as an act of war?"

Now confident, S'Tal answered, "You have your orders. Carry them out."

After Kess signed out, S'Tal's confidence began to leave him and he wondered what T'Pau would think of his actions.

Kess turned to Wetain, "You better return to your ship. You of course are no longer subject to my orders. I have no right to ask you to bring a possible war to Andoria."

Wetain managed to look offended, "It is I who will decide whose commands I will follow." Then he smiled darkly and said, "My brother was killed when the Romulans attacked Shran's ship. Do you think now that I have a reason to interfere that I would miss a chance for revenge?"

Once again Kess arched his eyebrows and then turned back to the Sub-commander. "Get me the President."

When Samuels was again on the screen, Kess told him, "I have received orders to come to your aid. We will arrive in approximately 2.4 Earth hours."

The expression on Samuels face changed dramatically and he found a small smile as he said heartfully, "Thank you from all the people of Earth."

When the President signed off and told Gardner the good news, the two embraced. Then, seeing the look of sadness return to Samuel's face, Gardner said quietly, "They could be all right. I am sure it will take some time before we will know what has happened to everyone."

Samuel's gave a small sad smile and said, "Thank you."

When Duvall heard the good news, he relayed it to his teams who gave a cheer. But it was quickly subdued as they thought of all those that were dying in the continuing battle. Two-thirds of the Earth fleet was destroyed, but they had damaged or destroyed eight Romulan vessels. _Intrepid_ had been a tower of strength but was now in more danger as the Romulans could concentrate on her.

Kratar stared at the information his second in command had given him. Destroying the Earth's defenses had taken more time and a had elicited a bigger cost than he had anticipated. And even now, the last defenders fought on. The Warp 5 ship had been a particularly difficult adversary but was now being attacked by three of his ships. Then, the soldier commanding the scanners interrupted his thoughts, "Tribune, I am tracing a fleet approaching at high warp," he looked up at him, "There are more than thirty ships, they are Andorian and Vulcan. They will arrive in point four hours."

Kratar cursed the Elements. Then he ordered his fleet to break off from any battles and cloak. He also gave orders to the three damaged ships to self-destruct. Two of them did so, but there was no answer from the other. He quickly ordered his ship to attack and destroy it. He then managed to cloak and follow his fleet before the Allied ships arrived.

He would have to save face by destroying Archer and the others.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Again, my sincere and deepest thanks to my reviewers, AnonymCzZ, EroSlackerMicha, and LoErneBraska**.

As the world became aware of what had happened, the anger, shock, and sadness was followed by a huge response from an entire planet. Help flowed from everywhere. Starfleet Security quickly landed full force in Geneva and the Starfleet shuttle fleet arrived to begin carrying out the wounded to hospitals all over the world. Hundreds of first responders came from every nation, paramedics, firefighters, MACOs and police. Even the ten thousand manned Terran Army came to help maintain order and search for victims. The remaining Earth Defense Fleet used its scanners to search for victims in the rubble. Specialists arrived to use methods created with the help of the Vulcans after the Third World War to start to clear the air and administer vaccines to prevent radiation disease. Medical teams set up triage centers and helped to staff hospitals that had avoided the destruction.

Back on Vulcan, Ministers Kuvack and T'Pau returned to the High Council chambers, where they were greeted by S'Tal who told them what had transpired. While Kuvack assured him he had done the right thing, T'Pau was more reticent, but did agree he had probably done what was necessary.

She then dismissed S'Tal and worked to contact the Vulcan Fleet.

The fleet had remained in orbit over Earth after the Romulans cloaked and presumably fled. The Andorians, finally getting through to their government, contacted the Good Will fleet and upon learning the course they were taking to return, sent five of their ships to meet them. They also sent medical personnel to aid the humans in Geneva.

Captain Kess answered the call from Vulcan, seeing the faces of Ministers Kuvack and T'Pau.

"Ministers. It is satisfactory to see you have returned."

T'Pau spoke curtly, "What is the current situation?"

"I assume Minster S'Tal told you of the situation that led to him ordering us to Earth?"

When T'Pau nodded, he continued, "We arrived in time to prevent any more damage to Earth itself, although its defense forces have been largely decimated. The Romulans cloaked before we arrived. According to Starfleet, there were originally twenty ships. Nine were destroyed and the whereabouts of the others are unknown. We are currently in orbit, awaiting orders as to how to proceed. The Andorians have sent five of their ships to attempt to escort the Good Will tour ships who are apparently on their way back to Earth."

"T'Pau quickly said, "You are to return to Vulcan immediately. You may inform Starfleet you have been ordered to do so."

"Of course, Minister, we will leave within the hour."

As T'Pau signed off, she turned to Kuvack, "You do not need to tell me your opinion, I know you do not approve."

"It is your decision. The danger is probably past. I wonder though, if we should have followed the Andorian lead and sent ships to perhaps aid Archer and the others. One of the ships is Vulcan. I think we should also at least speak to the Earth President."

"I shall take care of that now."

T'Pau contacted Earth and nodding to accept the President's thanks, said helping was the logical thing to do; she informed him she wished to contact the _Charon_ , the Vulcan ship on the tour."

Receiving that information, she brushed off his repeated thanks, and contacted the _Charon_ , asking to speak to Soval.

"Minister, I assume you are aware of all that has happened."

"I am well aware. I am deeply troubled by what has transpired and our part in it. I am afraid we are getting drawn into a conflict that has nothing to do with Vulcan."

"With all due respect, Minister, I think you are perhaps being naïve. I believe this was just the opening move of a plan to disrupt the entire quadrant and that the Romulans have designs on Vulcan itself."

"And I believe you are much too close to the Humans and Andorians. This is just the type of situation that I feared we would face when we took part in these attempts to form an alliance. I do not intend for Vulcan to go to war to protect the Earth."

Soval struggled to hide his feelings and said no more.

T'Pau, satisfied, said, "And now, I need you to inform Captain Sopek to return to Vulcan immediately. I suggest you take a separate path, as it is possible that the Romulans may be looking for _Enterprise_ and the other Earth starships."

Soval could not hold back this time, "If that is true, leaving them would greatly reduce their ability to defend themselves. Surely we can wait to return until after the fleet returns to Earth."

"You have your orders. I expect you to carry them out."

When she signed off this time, Kuvack said curtly, "I am a little tired after the ritual, I will see you tomorrow."

"Perhaps that would be best."

For the second time, Earth had been attacked, but the reactions were much different this time. The Xindi attack had never been understood by the people of Earth and seemed almost random. There was the confusion of time travel, preventing a future attack, that never resonated with them. Then the fact that Vulcan had seemed to step away had resulted in sympathy for the ideas of Terra Prime. This time they had been saved by the Vulcans and Andorians. That plus the fairs made them feel more in kinship with them. This created similar feelings to those Pearl Harbor had elicited deep in the past.

Steven Baker and the other members of Terra Prime could sense this was not their moment. For them of course, it did not matter what aliens did. Their core beliefs were that all aliens were dangerous. They feared contamination, a loss of identity. Their ideas were grounded in the same mind set as racists of the past. They would bide their time.

With the attack a day behind them and with rescue efforts continuing, the shock was passing and everyone looked for signs of how to proceed, to rally together.

When _Columbia_ and _Shenandoah_ returned, people suddenly realized the continuing absence of _Enterprise_. Fears grew. Was she destroyed, what was delaying her?

Starfleet tried to allay their fears by saying that when they last spoke to Captain Archer, they were on their way back. But they also admitted that due to the same Ion storm that had disrupted communications with Andoria, they had not heard from them for over twelve hours. They had also lost contact with the Andorian fleet that was on the way to meet them.

Now, suddenly, the worries for _Enterprise_ took Earth by storm. Everyone looked for any piece of news.

Two people especially consumed by their fears were a pregnant woman and a ten-year old girl. Despite the father of one and the mother of the other telling them to get some rest, that they would let them know if anything happened, both refused to go to sleep, both determined to wait until _Enterprise_ and its crew was home.

Hoshi decided she had definitely made the right decision. Captain Archer had let her decide which ship she wanted to spend the tour on. She was going to discuss it with Travis, seeing if they could serve together, but Archer had seemingly anticipated that and said he needed Travis on _Enterprise_.

In the end, she had chosen the Andorians and was enjoying her time with them. Personality wise, they were probably closest to Humans. She had been intrigued though by their much more overt sexuality. Banter and innuendo that would have been out of place on _Enterprise_ , were apparently common fare. It came however from women and Hoshi was reminded that ii was women who were aggressive in Andorian relationships. She also found that having several partners and being promiscuous were also common and almost expected even for married couples. She found it interesting though that she discovered that certain men and/or women were considered off limits, Shran being one.

She was also surprised that apparently changing sexes was not uncommon on Andoria. In fact, two such individuals were on the ship.

All four species were represented on the Bridge and Hoshi enjoyed speaking to each of them in their own languages and sometimes acting as a translator. But she was also amazed to learn how English was rapidly becoming a common language. She had to admit it was much easier to learn than any of the others.

Unfortunately, her exciting and informative foray came to an abrupt end when everyone received Archer's shocking fleet-wide message.

Megar had not been enthused when he had been assigned to Enterprise as communication officer. Whether fairly or not, he like many Tellerites, felt they were on the outer edge of this alliance. After all, the Humans and the Vulcans had worked together for over one hundred years, and it was apparent that the Humans and Andorians had helped each other many times. His feelings were reinforced as he watched how Archer and Shran interacted, often with T'Pol involved.

He had to admit however, that they had made a strong effort to get him involved also, to allow him to share in the comradery of the Bridge. He had exchanged insults with both Shran and Archer and felt he had been far superior.

Archer was enjoying himself. He was not deluded, he knew that interacting together on a bridge, acting as friends, meant that the past could just be thrown away. But, he felt it did show progress was being made. But, hell, whatever its long-term significance, it felt right to spend time with them.

As he continued to ruminate, his thoughts were interrupted by Megar, who announced he had an important message from Earth for his eyes only.

Wondering what the hell this was all about, he told Megar to transfer it to his Ready Room. After Archer had been gone for sometime another message came from Starfleet and Megar passed it through.

Finally, a different Jonathan Archer emerged.

Not sitting down, he turned to Megar, "Open a channel to all ships."

When Megar signaled him he was ready, Archer struggled to control his emotions and said, "I have just received word from Starfleet Command. Earth has been attacked by forces of the Romulan Empire."

On all ships, everyone was stunned. Even the Vulcans had to fight to hide their reaction.

"They used a nuclear weapon to destroy Earth's capital city Geneva. Earth's defenses prevented more damage but were being systematically destroyed. Then a combined Andorian/Vulcan fleet came to our aid. The Romulans cloaked and escaped."

He paused and then went on, "We will be returning to Earth immediately. A course setting will be sent to all ships and we will turn back as soon as all ships have the course laid in."

Then, Shran interrupted, "Perhaps we should get all personnel back on their own ships, there may be Romulans looking for us."

Archer nodded, "Belay that last order. All ships come to a full stop and all personnel return to their regular posts."

As Shran and Megar rose to leave, Shran said, "So, it has come. Don't worry Pinkskin, I know Andoria will be at your side."

Archer just managed to nod as they left the bridge.

T'Pol, who had been standing quietly watching, came over and instinctively took his hand. Archer looked up surprised, then managed a smile and squeezed her hand. They stood there together for a moment each lost in their own thoughts.

Then T'Pol said, "Captain, it is imperative that Commander Tucker and I talk to you immediately."

Looking surprised, Archer released her hand and turned to Travis, who was trying hard to show that he hadn't noticed anything. "Travis, when Hoshi gets back, have her monitor everyone getting back where they belong. When everyone is set, have her contact me in my Ready Room."

Travis nodded, "Yes, Sir."

Archer hit a button on his chair, "Commander Tucker, report immediately to my Ready Room."

Then he and T'Pol left the bridge.

When Hoshi returned to the bridge of _Enterprise,_ she saw just Travis was there. She rushed into his arms as he held her tightly.

"God, Travis, it's awful. Why does this stuff keep happening?"

"I don't know, Hoshi, it just seems like things that have been stirring for a long time have come to a head. We seem to be the catalyst that brings them on."

Hoshi then just squeezed him harder, "I don't care, just hold me."

He obliged and then their lips found each other. That is where they were when Trip exited from the Turbo lift. Hoshi and Travis quickly broke apart, but Trip just smiled and went past them into the Ready Room.

Travis held her again and kissed her tenderly on her lips. Releasing her he said, "Captain Archer wants you to monitor everyone getting back where they belong and let him know when everything is set."

Hoshi sat down at her station, "I better get started."

After talking to each ship and asking them to keep her posted, she asked, "What's going on with the Ready Room?"

"I don't know, T'Pol said she and Trip needed to talk to the Captain."

After Trip entered and sat down, he said, "Damn it. I never thought it would happen this way. I suppose this means war."

Archer answered, "I don't see another choice, Trip, but I don't know what Earth can do without some help. We're not dealing with the Xindi here. This was not a mistake, I am sure this was the first step in an attack on the entire quadrant. We're just lucky we are still in the game. Without the help of the Andorians and Vulcans, it's hard to imagine how bad it could have been."

He paused and went on, "And without their help, I don't see how we could stop it from happening again."

Then he turned to T'Pol. "Now, what is so important we need to discuss it now?"

T'Pol glanced at Trip who apparently was letting her go ahead. "Captain, you of course remember the incident we had at the Romulan minefield?"

Assuming the question was rhetorical, Archer just nodded.

"At the time, we decided that the device we used to detect the mines would not work on detecting the ship. I believe it is possible we may have been hasty in that decision."

Archer sat up, "Are you saying you think we could see their ships?"

"I am saying, I am not sure. Logically, since one could presume that they use the same basic technology, there is a presumption they could both be detected by the same detector."

Trip stepped in, "During the time since then. T'Pol and I have done some experimenting with the device. We of course had nothing we could test it on, but we did determine a way to run through a series of frequencies and found that it does have quite an extensive range."

Archer felt a quick moment of relief when he realized he no longer felt that twinge of jealously whenever he thought of them doing anything together. "Why haven't I heard about this before? What is the current status? Where does it stand after the upgrade?"

T'Pol answered first, "Since we could not test and were unsure about any value it had, we decided to wait until we knew more." She then paused and said, "Then outside circumstances started to absorb our time."

Trip then continued, "I had it integrated as a working part of the ship. We can deploy it at any time and T'Pol can see its results on her science console."

"How long will it take? Do you need any help?"

Trip went on, "Not too long, would go faster if someone could help me with it."

"All right, you two go ahead. Keep me posted."

T'Pol interjected, "Captain, it is possible I may be needed on the bridge, perhaps Commander Reed could assist."

"Very well, I have no problem with that."

Then suddenly Archer had a thought. "I think we should limit the knowledge of this to as few people as we can."

Seeing their questing looks, he went on, "Think how big a weapon this could be, if the Romulans do not know we can see their ships. It could be the difference in a battle. And although I do not know of anyone that would reveal it, the more people that know, the more likely it will get out."

T'Pol spoke up, "That makes sense, but will not the secret be exposed if it does work and we make use of it in our current situation?"

Archer thought about that for a moment and then said, "I have an idea that may work to mask that fact. I will need Shran's help. It will only work because I think it will be difficult for people to believe we do have this capability."

Then he smirked, "But we are a long way from that. We have no idea if it will even work, or if the Romulans are still out there." Turning to Trip, "You and Malcom get it set up and let me and T'Pol know. For now, we will limit knowledge of it to the Bridge crew and see how it all works out."

Just then the communicator beeped. Archer answered and Hoshi informed him everyone had returned to their ships and were awaiting orders.

Upon returning to the bridge, Archer noticed that everyone was present and at their stations. T'Pol went to her station while Trip stood by. Archer told Travis to lay in a course for Earth. He then indicated to Hoshi to connect him with all ships.

"This is Captain Archer; Lieutenant Mayweather will be sending you our route back to Earth. As soon as you are all ready we will proceed to Earth at Warp 6. Everyone stay alert, there is a good chance the Romulans may be waiting for us."

Getting okays for all ships, the fleet began its journey back to Earth.

Archer turned to Malcolm, "Malcolm, Trip needs some help with a project he is working on. You are relieved to accomplish that."

Malcolm showed surprise for a second and then said, "Understood, Sir," and followed Trip off the Bridge.

Archer then continued, "Hoshi, contact Ensign Rodgers and have her report to the bridge."

Things stayed uneventful for the next few hours. They kept in contact with Earth and learned what had been happening. They found out that the Vulcans were heading back to Vulcan and that five Andorian ships were heading their way to escort them back to Earth.

Then, in the next few hours, several changes occurred.

They lost contact with Earth but were contacted by the Andorian fleet heading their way. Both fleets knew that if the Romulans were still in the area, it was likely _Enterprise_ and the others would encounter them before the Andorians could reach them.

Then, Archer got a call from Soval saying he needed to talk with him.

When Archer contacted him from his Ready Room, the concerns Archer felt when he heard the Vulcan fleet was returning home were intensified when Soval informed him T'Pau had ordered him to chart a different path back to Vulcan.

Archer said resignedly, "It appears that T'Pau is reluctant about joining any Alliance against the Romulans."

Soval admitted, "I am afraid that is true for now, but I still think there is hope her mind can be changed. As for my path correction, I have informed Captain Sopek to change course by one degree. We should still remain close enough to help if trouble should occur."

Archer stared at him, "I don't think T'Pau will be very happy about that."

"Then she should clarify her orders."

Archer said earnestly, "Thank you, Soval."

Soval went on, "T'Pau also said I have become too close to Humans and the Andorians. I am afraid she may be right." He hesitated, "I grieve for what happened on Earth, but I never felt more strongly that if we cannot form an Alliance, we all will face the same scenario."

"Thanks again, Soval, and I am afraid I agree with you."

While he was in the Ready Room, Archer put in a call to Shran, arranging to talk privately.

Shran spoke first, "What is so important Archer, that I needed to leave the bridge."

"What I am about to tell you is for your ears only. Only my bridge crew knows anything about it."

"All right, you have my attention. You know I will not reveal it unless it is something that is vital for my government and people to know."

"If this works out, we will be both be notifying our governments." He paused and said, "We may have a way to find Romulan ships when they are cloaked."

Shran about fell off his chair. He had never expected to hear anything like that. Stunned, he asked how that could be possible and what did he mean, they could have a way.

Archer then explained the whole thing. The circumstances of how they had received the device from the future and what had happened at the minefield, and the work Trip and T'Pol had done.

Shran just sat there stunned, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. When Archer had finished, he said, "That is about the wildest tale I have ever heard. There are less than five individuals that I would hear that from and even consider it to be true. But you are at the top of the list. Of course, you realize what this could mean."

"Yes, and that is why secrecy is so important. Here is why I am telling you this now. T'Pol pointed out that if we do find them and use that information to win the battle, the secret could get out. So, when we do 'see' them, I will send the coordinates secretly to you and you will say your scanners detected something just for a moment like a ship and then it was gone. We will then act on that information."

Shran had to smile, "That sounds pretty weak."

"Your right, but I am hoping that since no one would ever suspect that we could possibly have such a device and since the sighting comes from you, not anyone on Enterprise, we might just get away with it."

"With what is at stake, I am willing to try. Send the coordinates via this protocol, only I will see them."

"Thanks, Shran, and I hope we get to find out if it works or not."

"Me, too." Then he did his irritating smirk, "I must say, you Humans still continue to manage to surprise me. Did you get anything else from the future?"

Archer smiled, "Goodbye, Shran."

A few hours later, the miracle occurred, T'Pol announced, barely hiding the emotion in her voice that she had found the Romulan ships. There were eleven ships heading for them at Warp 7. Since the device had a greater range than normal long-range sensors, it was doubtful the Romulans had detected them.

Archer immediately sent the coordinates to Shran and when the Romulans were in scanner range, Shran did his act and informed Archer and the fleet of what he had 'seen'. Archer then ordered the fleet to drop out of warp.

Tribune Kratar had more than enough of this mission. Nothing had gone as expected. The original plan was that after sowing destruction on Earth, he would wait nearby for _Enterprise_ and the others to arrive. The arrival of the allied fleet had put a big crimp in those plans. If he waited around he would be in reach of that fleet when he attacked Archer.

But he had no real way of finding Archer if he went out searching. So, he compromised and moved some distance from Earth to see what happened. Perhaps the fleet would leave. But then he saw five Andorian ships leave orbit and head out to space. He quickly realized they were going to intercept _Enterprise_ and the others and escort them back. He would then be outnumbered.

He decided he had one chance. He used his long-range scanners to determine the course the Andorians were on. He then took a desperate gamble and moved along that same course ahead of the Andorians hoping he could stay far enough ahead to engage and destroy _Enterprise_ before the Andorians caught up with him. He did not know what their maximum speed was but pushed his fleet to warp 7.

Kratar did not know it, but he had finally caught a little luck. The five Andorian ships were not top of the line and could only do warp 5. He quickly outdistanced them. Now he could only hope that the course he was following would lead him to the others.

A little to his surprise, his plan worked out and his scanner finally picked up _Enterprise_ and the others. But then, to his surprise, they dropped out of warp. Why had they done that? He finally decided they were in contact with the Andorian fleet behind him and were waiting for them before proceeding. The Andorians had been out of range of scanners for some time, but he didn't know how far they were behind him. He decided he had no time to waste. He ordered his ships out of warp and as they approached the fleet, ordered his ships to prepare to decloak and attack.

T'Pol announced to Archer that the Romulans had dropped out of warp and were presumably ready to decloak. Archer knew he was pushing his luck at keeping this secret but figured he could cover any questions by saying that assuming Shran had seen something, they would soon be arriving. He thus announced he had seen them start to decloak before they did and opened fire. As the ships he hit began to appear he ordered the other ships to fire into the same area. To his amazement, their fire was completely effective, it was as if their ships were unshielded. As they continued to wreak havoc, he wondered why the other ships did not return fire. The few that managed to decloak were quickly destroyed. In a remarkably short time, it was over. With little or no damage to his ships, the Romulan ships had been destroyed or damaged. Then to his further amazement, the damaged ships immediately exploded, evidently self-destructing.

The fleet returned to Warp, met up with the Andorian fleet, and joined with them.

As they got closer to Earth, Archer asked Gral, Soval, and Shran to join him, Trip, and T'Pol aboard _Enterprise_.

He quickly told the others what he had previously told Shran and received a similar reaction. They didn't want to believe it but had no other explanation of what had happened. They all agreed to keep the secret and reveal it only to the highest levels of their governments.

Archer then asked if anyone had explanations for how easily the Romulans had been destroyed and why they had not even returned fire.

T'Pol spoke first, "I have been considering possibilities since the battle. Although I am not cognizant as to how the cloaking works, I would believe it would take enormous amounts of energy. It could be possible that it would take that energy from other functions of the ship."

Gral spoke up, "Are you saying you think they do not have the ability to protect themselves when they are cloaked?"

T'Pol nodded, "I believe that is possible, yes."

Trip shook his head, "This just means it is even more imperative we keep this secret. Just think about it, a much larger fleet could be destroyed the same way we did this one." Then he went on, getting more excited, "And if we could build more devices, other ships would be able to see them as well."

Soval joined in, "But since you did not develop the technology, and it is from the future, would it not be difficult to replicate it?"

T'Pol answered, "Difficult but not necessarily impossible, it may be that we can duplicate it without fully understanding it."

Just then, the communicator in the room beeped. Archer reached up and pushed it, "Archer here."

"Captain, we have just regained contact with Earth. I assume you would like to talk to Starfleet."

Archer smiled, "I would indeed."

He turned to the others, "We can continue this conversation later. I am sure our superiors will have many of the same questions."

Back on Earth, the vigil continued, as everyone anxiously waited for news. Then it came. Over all news media, Starfleet issued the following message: "Starfleet Command has regained contact with _Enterprise_. The remaining Romulan ships have been engaged and destroyed. _Enterprise_ and the rest of the fleet should reach Earth in the next six hours."

Pandemonium broke out all over Earth. Grateful prayers were made and spontaneous celebrations broke out. In a local bar, Harry Waters, with a huge smile on his face, slapped the man next to him on his shoulders, "I told you Joe, I told you that Archer would come through. You just can't kill that bastard."

When _Enterprise_ entered orbit around the Earth, Jonathan Archer looked down at it with T'Pol at his side.

He didn't know that the final death toll in Geneva would be 175,943 and that the President's wife and children would be among them.

He didn't know that 1,210 soldiers had died defending earth, including one Acting Captain Christopher Stallings.

What he did know was that he had returned to a much different Earth than the one he left, one that would never be the same.

And, as pictures of _Enterprise_ entering orbit came with the news that all of the crew were all right, Natalie Tucker and Mercy McBride finally surrendered to a peaceful sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N These characters do not belong to me. I promise to put them back when I am done. I keep trying to think of some clever way to say it, but I will just thank my reviewers EroSlackerMicha, AnonymCzZ, and LoErneBraska, and hope they know how much I appreciate their opinions and input. I also want to thank all of you who continue to follow my story.**

Before Soval continued on to Vulcan, he asked for the group sans Tucker, to meet again. When they had gathered on the _Charon_ , he started the meeting.

"I am already ignoring my orders, but I felt we needed to talk before we all head home. While I felt that we had been making progress toward an alliance, I am afraid for the future. As Captain Archer can attest, the chances of Vulcan joining forces against the Romulans does not look promising. I pledge though to do all I can to change T'Pau's stand. I will have others on Vulcan who share my goals. But it is just as imperative that Andoria and The Teller do not also abandon Earth. I just need to know that you will do all you can to see that does not happen. I have no doubt that if the alliance fails, our hope of resisting invasion is greatly reduced."

Shran spoke up, "I have been thinking the same thing since this happened. While I firmly believe Andoria will stand by Earth, I agree there is a great difference about working toward cooperating together and agreeing to go to war when Andoria has not been attacked. We must make it clear to our governments that this was not just an attack against Earth, but a prelude to an assault on the entire quadrant."

Gral then joined in, "It seems we are all in agreement. One problem I see is that each government will be watching and waiting to see what the others will do."

Soval nodded, "That is why we must try to get them to act quickly, before the moment passes."

Archer then cut in, "I was thinking, it might be a selling point that Earth has the technology to detect their ships."

Shran said sharply, "You mean that Earth would not share it unless we agree to join you?"

Archer said carefully, "It means we might not be able to. That it will fall into enemy hands if we are defeated."

Gral was about to speak up but realized everyone was aware of what Archer was implying.

T'Pol then spoke up, "I am sure we all know what must be done. Either we will stand together, or we will all eventually fail."

Archer mumbled, "Either we hang together, or we will all hang separately."

As the others looked questioningly at him, he quickly said, "Just an old Earth saying."

Shrugging, Shran said, "I for one do not plan to fail." He turned to Archer and said, "If it is in any way in my power to do so, I will fight at your side."

Soval said, "In that we all agree." Then as he showed what passed as his smile, he finished, "Although Vulcans do not believe in luck, we could certainly use some."

The rest smiled as the meeting broke up. Saying their goodbyes, they all left for their own ships.

As Archer and T'Pol arrived back on Earth, Archer turned to her. "Whatever happens with them, I still feel lucky, because I know you will be at my side."

"That is vital to me as well, Jonathan."

The funeral for President Samuels' wife and children was limited to immediate friends and family. Admiral Gardner gave the eulogy.

As the first Warp 5 captain to be killed in combat, Christopher Stallings was honored in a ceremony at Starfleet Command. Officers from all four starships were in attendance. The Eulogy was given by Admiral Duvall.

Before leaving for home, Trip agreed to delay his leaving Starfleet to work with T'Pol on duplicating the Romulan detector device.

The shuttle carrying Trip landed on the landing strip next to his and Natalie's new home in the Glades, a house surrounded by a large yard and a security fence. He and Natalie had purchased it right after their marriage. Trip was a little overwhelmed how easy it was but decided he could get use to being wealthy.

As he exited, he saw Natalie come to the door to meet him. Although she was not showing any signs of the pregnancy, he swore she had a new glow around her. They rushed to embrace each other, Natalie unable to contain her tears. After exchanging a passionate kiss, they headed back to the house. As Natalie wiped at her eyes, she said in a quiet voice, "Oh God, Trip, I was so afraid. When they couldn't contact you…."

Trip held her again and said, "It's okay, it's over now. I'm here."

Natalie pulled back, "Over? God, Trip, it's just beginning and who knows how it will ever end."

Trip sighed, ''You're right, but let's not think about that now." He then said, "And remember, I'll be doing my part by helping your father build the best Spaceships we can."

Natalie looked at him, "You're still leaving Starfleet? With a war coming?"

Trip looked a little shocked, but said, "Why would that change things? I still plan to be here when our baby is born."

Natalie looked directly into his eyes, then seemed to relax a little and said, "I'm glad." Then she led him into the house.

Trip decided now was not the time to tell her about the fact he would be in Starfleet for a while. She would find out when he contacted her father to let him know.

As they entered the house, Natalie suddenly realized she needed him, she needed to know he was there, she needed to be with him. She quickly led him into the bedroom and practically ravaged him.

Afterwards, she was a little embarrassed about how she had acted and said so to Trip.

Trip just smirked and said, "You didn't hear me complaining, did you." He took her face in his hand and kissing her softly said, "That was amazing."

Blushing slightly, she said, "Are you hungry?"

Trip said, "I am famished. Do you want to order something in?"

"No, I'll whip something up. I'm going to take a shower first."

As she got up and headed for the bathroom, Trip gazed at her body and reflected on what a lucky man he was. Then he laid back and thought back over all that had happened. It was hard to believe it had only been a few days since they had set out on the good will tour; how so much had changed in such a short time. Then he thought about what Natalie had implied. That his leaving Starfleet had changed. He thought of _Enterprise_ going off to war without him.

Then determinedly pushing everything from his mind, he got up and headed for the shower.

Travis and Hoshi went to her apartment. After making love, they knew they wanted to be together. They discussed perhaps getting married; but decided they would live together instead, not sure how their future on _Enterprise_ might be effected if they were married. They did not want to do anything that would jeopardize their being on _Enterprise_ together during whatever was to come.

A week after the attack, Earth's Parliament met for the first time. With their headquarters destroyed, they met in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. With thirty-seven new members hurriedly selected by their respective countries, President Samuels spoke from the same spot Franklin Delano Roosevelt had delivered a similar speech so many years before.

Earth's Parliament voted unanimously to declare War on the Romulan Empire.

As the _Nevron_ settled in orbit, Gral looked out the window at his planet below. He thought of how the Earth city had looked and knew he must prevent that from happening to The Teller. When he had left, he had hopes the tour would lead to an alliance, now it fell on him to be sure it happened now.

All those thoughts were pushed deep into his mind when he left the Shuttle and saw Margot waiting for him. They had met when he was in training for the military and he had loved her from the moment he saw her. He stared at her thinking she had only grown more beautiful since then.

As they came together and passionately rubbed their snouts together, his cares faded. Not seeing his son, he asked Margot about him. She blushed a little and said she had sent him to visit his grandmother for the night, that she wanted them to be alone.

Gral smiled happily and told her she was clever as well as beautiful. She led him to their vehicle and held his hand as they made their way home.

She then served him his favorite meal. Afterwards they snuggled and then made love. Sitting later in their mud bath, Margot made her first reference to what had happened on Earth.

"It must have been horrible. All those poor people. My heart went out to them."

He reached out and laid his hand on her shoulder, "Yes, but I was impressed by their resilience. By the time we arrived, rescue actions were already well underway. I was personally pleased that we had destroyed the ships that had done such a deed."

Later, as he laid next to his wife in bed, Gral allowed the thoughts he had pushed back to enter his mind. He would start by talking to Viscount Stak, the same rank he had held during the wars with the Andorians. He then could perhaps get a meeting with the Premier. The Premier had seemed favorable to the alliance before and Gral would know whether his task would be easy or hard after talking to him.

The next morning, Gral found himself in front of the headquarters of The Teller government. It was a large spread out building five stories high. As such, it was one of the tallest buildings on The Teller. Tellerites had never understood some specie's fascination with erecting building as tall as possible. Functional and solid were the hallmarks of Tellerite architecture. Soon, Gral found himself in the Viscount's office. His relationship with Stak had been mostly harmonious but they had their differences, especially in regard to the Vulcans, who Stak for some reason had little time for. This had put them at odds over the alliance although he had to admit to its value over all.

"Well, Gral, you got yourself into quite a situation with your little tour. From what I hear you were lucky the Romulans made an error and allowed themselves to be seen, or you could have paid with your life."

Having promised to only tell the secret to the highest level of his government, Gral went along with what he was saying.

"Yes, but we did come out victorious. Now, we need to do what we can to prevent anything similar happening to us in the future."

"Are you still going on about the so-called alliance? I would have thought this would show you the dangers of getting involved with the Humans."

"On the contrary, I believe more strongly than ever that the alliance is vital. It was the Andorians and the Vulcans who saved the Earth from much worst. In the future we may need that assistance."

"There is no proof that this attack on Earth had anything to do with The Teller."

"You are forgetting what efforts the Romulans went to in order to disrupt any forms of cooperation among the planets. And I could remind you that it was the Humans that were responsible for thwarting that attempt."

"I still don't see where we should put ourselves in the middle of their problems."

"Because I feel they will soon be our problems as well."

Gral was gratified to see that the Viscount was apparently out of arguments, he had never been much of debater. Gral went on, "It is important for me to see the Premier. Could you arrange a meeting?"

Now back on firm ground, the Viscount decided he could be magnanimous, "I suppose so. Although I think you are wasting your time. While you were away, opposition has grown in the Senate to any alliance."

Gral sneered, "Led by Senator Grag, no doubt." Gral had nothing but contempt for the Senator, who he considered a coward because of an incident when the Senator has served under him in the military. For his part Grag felt Gral had misjudged him and was determined to oppose Gral in any way he could.

After the Viscount had obtained him a meeting with the Premier, they had spent some time discussing other issues. Gral then left for his meeting.

As he walked down the halls, deciding not to ride the moving belts that were installed throughout the building, he saw the one person he least wanted to see riding one toward him. Hoping to get by he looked the other way, but Senator Grag saw him and left the belt.

"Well, Gral, I see you made it back. I have warned you that spending time with your alien friends will cost you one day."

"Hello, Grag. I am well award of your attitude toward other species. If you will excuse me, I am on my way to a meeting."

As he moved away, Grag called after him, "The Premier, I presume."

Halting, Gral looked back.

Grag smiled and continued, "I think you will find the Premier has come to his senses while you were gone. He has come to understand that getting involved with the Humans and the others will just cause us to be dragged into situations it would be best for us to avoid. The recent incident on Earth just reinforces our position."

Gral was appalled at him referring to the vicious attack on Earth as an "incident." But held his tongue. He knew from past experience there was no value in attempting to discuss anything with Grag.

He just continued down the hall.

Upon reaching the Premier's waiting room and was told the Premier was expecting him, he entered the office. As the Premier rose to meet him, Gral gave him a slight bow as was customary and sat down in the seat indicated.

"I must say, Ambassador, that I was shocked and saddened about what happened on Earth. It was extremely fortunate that the Andorians and Vulcans were nearby. I was pleased however to see that you were involved in helping to dispose of the attackers."

"Thank you, Sir. But there is something concerned with that encounter that I would like to share with you. Before I speak, however, I would appreciate it if you could give me your word to only tell others of what I am about to tell you if it is absolutely necessary."

The Premier looked stunned. "I would hope you would know that I could be trusted. I am frankly a little bothered that you would need to say so."

"I apologize, Sir, but the information I am about to give you was entrusted to me by Captain Archer and it's leaking out could be catastrophic to Earth's ability to defend themselves."

Looking ever more intrigued and apparently mollified the Premier continued, "Very well, you have my word."

Gral then filled him in about when he had been told. He had decided to leave out the time traveler because he was afraid it would lessen the credibility of the story. He just said the Humans possessed it.

The Premier sat back. "I can see why this is so important. It appears I have underestimated them. There is no doubt this device could be the vital factor in a war with the Romulans." He then continued, "In that vein, I have recently been informed by the President of Earth himself that his government has voted to declare War on the Romulan Empire."

Gral was a little surprised it had happened so quickly but decided he shouldn't be. In any case, it made his task easier. There was no questioning now that forming an alliance with Earth would be joining the War.

The Premier had continued, "Now let's get down to the basics. We both know where you stand on the alliance and I am sure you are here to convince me to join in this War."

"That is correct, Sir. I have no doubt that the attack on Earth is just the first step in a plot to enslave the entire quadrant."

"I am sure you are aware that there are many that do not share this view. That it would be foolish to endanger ourselves to protect Earth. To let them fight their own battles."

"I know that, but I strongly believe they are being dangerously shortsighted and have their head in a tornak hole. Just look at what the Romulans attempted to do with their drones. They used them to effect relations between Andoria and us. It had nothing to do with Earth until they assisted us in trying to reach a trade agreement with Andoria. They are strongly opposed to any efforts to stabilize the region." He paused and then continued, "I am sure the recent attempts to build an alliance is what brought on this attack. They know and we need to know that our only hope to oppose their plans are to create a united front."

The Premier seemed to take all this in, then he asked, "What about the others? Where are the Andorians and the Vulcans on the question of the alliance?"

Gral took a deep breath, "I cannot speak for their governments but Commander Shran feels strongly that the Andorians will back the Earth. After all, they have done so in the past."

He paused, "However, it appears that the Vulcans have reservations but Ambassador Soval was optimistic they could be resolved."

The Premier smiled, "You four. I just wish I had as much faith in an alliance as I do in your apparent friendships. I assume that Shran and Soval have returned to their home planets?"

When Gral nodded, the Premier continued, "Why don't we give them some time to discuss it with their governments. I will take it upon myself to contact General Thrang and Minister T'Pau to see where they stand on this issue. I do not believe I can move forward without having assurances we will not find ourselves alone with Earth."

Gral was disappointed and although he could not argue with the Premier's logic, he felt they had missed an opportunity to step forward and for once be the first one standing up for the Humans. Saying he would stay in touch and would be available anytime if the Premier need anything from him, Gral bowed and left.

Shran strode down the halls of the Imperial Palace. When he realized he would arrive at Andoria in the morning, he had called ahead to arrange a meeting with General Thrang and Queen Helena. He felt a little guilty about not visiting Jhamel first but knew she would understand.

Entering Thrang's office, he was greeted by him and the Queen. He bowed deeply to her, then gave an Imperial Guard salute to Thrang who reciprocated.

He then took a seat.

Helena spoke first, "We were very distressed to hear what happened on Earth. Such a tragic loss of life. We were very pleased though that our ships played a part in preventing further damage and then made an effort to assist the alliance ships." Shran was pleased to hear her refer to them as alliance ships although it may not mean as much as he hoped.

The Queen continued, "We were also pleased with your involvement in destroying the rest of the attackers."

Shran decided to take the opportunity of her discussing that to reveal the secret. Like everyone else, the General and the Queen were stunned. Shran could tell them the part about the Time Traveler bothered them but he assured them he trusted Archer explicitly.

The Queen seemed to hesitate and then spoke up, "I have not wanted to mention it, because I am not sure what it means. In studying the Queens' history, I have seen where they are sometimes capable of discerning things that are not part of the conscious world. I am not sure exactly what was meant because I was never able to discuss them with my mother. In any case, I have often felt that there is something about Captain Archer, about Earth. There is a sense of destiny."

Thrang and Shran stared at her. They knew that at certain time in history, other Queens had described similar senses, but that had been in the past. They asked her if she could be more specific, but she apparently did not understand it any more that they did.

Thrang then spoke, "I assume you have met with us to have us stand with Earth. We may have some news you were not aware of. The Earth has apparently declared War on the Empire. Therefore, it is official, if we stand with Earth, we are at War."

Shran was relieved. At least, it was now a clear-cut choice. He said, "You both know where I stand. You know I am convinced that no matter if we stand with Earth now or not, we will eventually have to deal with the Romulans. I have no doubts we all have a better chance if we stand together." He then smiled, "And we have a better chance if we have the detecting device."

While the Queen didn't catch the inference, Thrang did. He smiled back, "I assume there was a suggestion that we might not be able to take advantage of that if we refuse to step forward."

Shran smirked, "Archer did seem to imply that there would be a real danger that there would perhaps not be the opportunity to provide it to us."

The Queen butted in, "All these machinations. It doesn't matter because what you have said has reinforced what we had already decided." Looking at Thrang, who nodded, she went on, "We have decided to join with Earth. General Thrang and I are scheduled to speak to the Imperial Guard Council tomorrow."

Shran tried to act professional but could not stop a huge smile. The Queen saw it and smiled back. Only Thrang acted as a General would be expected to do.

The next day, after hearing from their Queen and General Thrang, the Imperial Guard Council voted unanimously as expected to join the Earth in their fight. The room resonated with calls of "Long live the Queen, Long live the Imperial Guard."

Andoria declared War on the Romulan Empire.

When the Tellerite Premier learned of the Andorian decision, he and Ambassador Gral presented their case to the Senate.

To Senator Grag's chagrin, the Senate voted by a narrow margin to join the Andorians and Earth. Then in the interest of solidarity, they took a second vote which passed with a unanimous vote.

The Teller then declared War on the Romulan Empire.

The _Charon_ and Soval arrived on Vulcan.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N Nope, still don't own anything. Again, my deepest thanks for the reviews from EroSlackerMicha and LoErneBraska.**

For the first time, _Enterprise_ pushed its engines to a steady Warp 7 as they sped toward Vulcan.

Seated in his chair, Archer thought back over the last few days. After Soval had left for Vulcan, he had decided they needed to have all options available to try to convince T'Pau of the need to join with Earth against the Romulans. He had contacted Admiral Gardner and asked if Archer and T'Pol could follow him to Vulcan. Since T'Pau seemed to have some connection with them, he felt they could possibly be a factor in getting T'Pau to reconsider.

Admiral Gardner had readily agreed, knowing how vital Vulcan participation was. So now _Enterprise_ was on its way about two days behind Soval.

After the ceremony honoring Commander Stallings, T'Pol and Trip had started to work on duplicating the detector. Archer had decided to indulge himself and do something he had not had time for quite a while. He took Porthos for a long walk. Since the day was quite chilly, the park located near his apartment was empty. Releasing Porthos from his leash, he watched as the dog rushed around, his nose down, apparently highly enjoying his freedom.

Archer had often wondered if he should find a new home for Porthos, somewhere where he could do this on a regular basis. He had especially felt it when he had to put him in a kennel when he was at the wedding.

But then, he knew he was too selfish to do so. He would miss him too much. He remembered during some of the lowest points of his life, especially in the Expanse, he would sit and scratch Porthos ears, telling him of his fears and disgust for what he had done. And Porthos would just listen happily, never judging.

Suddenly, he realized Porthos had come back to his legs and was looking up at him imploringly. He had been so self-engrossed, he hadn't realized how long they had been out and how it had gotten colder. He picked Porthos up and stuck him in his jacket with just his head sticking out. He then headed back to the apartment. As he walked, feeling guilty about leaving Porthos out too long, he let Porthos lick his face, something he usually avoided.

He smirked to himself, thinking how unhygienic T'Pol would find that.

T'Pol. That was something else that needed to be dealt with. He had decided he was going to take the plunge, to tell her how he felt. If she didn't feel the way he did, they would just have to move forward. He felt they could still maintain their friendship and professional relationship.

He knew they needed to have a resolution. If she did feel the same, they had already wasted so much time. Besides, the memorial service had made him realize the frailty of life. And with the coming of the war, who knew how much time they would have. Now he just needed to gather his courage and get it done.

His ruminations were interrupted when T'Pol turned away from her instruments and informed him that two Vulcan ships were approaching. Almost immediately, Hoshi announced they were being hailed.

Captain Kess's visage appeared on the screen. He spoke first, "Captain Archer, I am Captain Kess of the _Satara_."

Archer answered, "What can I do for you, Captain?"

"Minister Kuvack ordered us to escort you the rest of the way to Vulcan. I believe he was concerned there could be a possibility of Romulan ships in the area."

Archer thought, Minister Kuvack. That was one of the allies Soval had mentioned, someone supporting the alliance.

He went on, "Glad to have your help, Captain, I will have to convey my thanks to the Minister."

As Kess nodded and signed off, Archer wondered if he should have invited him over as a social gesture. Remembering how that had worked in the past, he decided to just let it go.

T'Pau strode briskly down the halls of the council building heading toward her office. When Soval had contacted her and told her he was finally on his way, she had ordered him to come to her office as soon as he landed. As she turned the last corner, she almost ran into Minister Kuvack. He glanced at her, mumbled something and went on his way. She stared after him, a little upset in spite of herself. Ever since she had ordered the fleet and Soval home, he had been avoiding her.

She decided she would take some action on that after dealing with Soval. It was beginning to affect the entire Council. She hoped that after talking to Soval, she could start to put this alliance talk to rest. She knew that Soval and Kuvack had other supporters, but she was sure they would not be willing to cross her when she announced her final decision.

She would give Soval his chance, but could not see what he would say that would change her mind. She had come to believe more than ever that Vulcan's future lay on a different path than becoming involved in interplanetary intrigues.

Soval stopped as he reached T'Pau's door. He was not looking forward to this conversation, but still believed she could be persuaded to change her mind. He had no doubt that she had Vulcan's interests at heart just as he did. He was afraid, however, that her distrust of other species was influencing her more that she would admit even to herself. Although she was not near as bad or would ever resort to violence, she in some ways shared the views of Terra Prime on Earth.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, entering when invited so by T'Pau.

As he entered, she did not rise but just indicated he should be seated. Once he was settled, she began.

"You purposely disobeyed my orders and stayed with the others. Then you dallied in returning to Vulcan. Do you have any defense for such actions?"

"With all respect, Minister, you know my reasons. By leaving I would have greatly reduced the chances of the rest of the ships to return safely to Earth. We had set out together as a good will gesture. It seemed…illogical…to abandon them. As for delaying to come home, I wanted to see how Earth was reacting and discuss my thoughts with Archer and the others."

"That is your problem, Soval, you consistently put the interests of your 'friends' above the interests of Vulcan. I respect your career and what you have done, but that does not excuse you from ignoring my orders."

"I do not put their interests above that of Vulcan. It is the very interests of Vulcan that I am concerned with." Hesitating for a moment, he decided he may as well say it and get in out there. "I would say, that it is your prejudices and animosity toward them that clouds your judgement and that you are the one that is not considering the best interests of Vulcan."

T'Pau had to struggle to contain her emotions. After a few moments that they spent staring at each other, she answered, "If I do have concerns about the others, it is grounded in facts. Each time we become involved, we are dragged into situations caused by their emotions. Have you forgotten how we lost our way by becoming involved? We have just started to rediscover our true destiny. I will not throw it away again to become ensnarled in their continuous squabbles. Our greatest mistake was ever becoming involved with the Humans. As I told Captain Archer, we will no longer interfere with their future, they are on their own." She looked pointedly at Soval, "I believe he agreed strongly with that."

"There is no disagreement between us that Vulcan was on a wrong path and that it is important that we continue to move forward with the changes we have begun. But this is not about our interfering with them, this is about survival. This is about a threat to the entire quadrant. This is about providing a united front against the Romulans."

T'Pau sat back for a moment. So, they had come to the crucial point. Was Soval correct or was he as she believed, so enamored with the Humans that he grossly overestimated the threat? Did he not see that if they joined with them, they were returning to the very situation they had just managed to free themselves from? Which threat was greater? The Romulans or Vulcan losing itself forever? She had no doubt that Soval's way would lead to them being forever connected to Earth and its future.

Gathering her thoughts, she said, "I think you greatly overestimate the threat the Romulans provide, but," raising her hand as Soval tried to interrupt, "To meet that threat by joining an alliance with the others is not the answer. I have no doubt that we will never be free of such a confederation. No, we must assert our independence now and give them theirs as well. We cannot babysit them forever. This is the time to cut the ties."

Soval was about to argue the last point, but realized she was probably right. In any case, he could not argue against something he believed was vital for the future. He had not shared his vision of a Federation of Planets with anyone except in general, but felt it was right and necessary. Instead he said, deciding to hold back what he wanted, "The alliance would be just for the duration of the war. Until the threat is past."

T'Pau smiled to herself, Soval, like most Vulcans, was a lousy liar. She had also heard from others of Soval's thoughts on the future. "I do not believe that those are your true thoughts, But, in any case, it is immaterial because it is not the length of the involvement, but the involvement itself that I am against. As to the Romulans, it has not even been proven that they have interests beyond Earth. As a practical matter, I do not see why we should shed Vulcan blood to defend those who cannot defend themselves. As I remember, you felt the Humans were not ready to enter the interplanetary community. Perhaps you were right and they have brought this on themselves."

"While it is true I once felt that, I no longer do. The Humans have shown themselves to be a valuable addition to the quadrant. Don't forget they made it possible to expose V'Las and were instrumental in destroying the Romulan drones. It is entirely possible that is why they were selected to be attacked. And even you must admit, that Surak chose Captain Archer to find the Kir'Shara instead of either you are Syran."

For the first time, T'Pau felt a hint of doubt. She had yet to equivocate her feelings toward Humans with Archer's finding of the Kir'Shara. It still mystified her why Surak would pick him instead of her to perform such an important task. But that one incident did not stack up against her belief that Earth caused a danger to Vulcan. Soval and T'Pol were both examples of how they could contaminate one's thinking and beliefs. No, Vulcan must resist any efforts to bring them into an association of planets that would force them to interact.

"Surak must have had his reasons, but I am sure it does not mean he intended us to set aside our heritage by subverting ourselves to an alliance."

Soval internally shook his head. It was apparent she was firmly convinced that interaction and association with the other planets was a danger to Vulcan.

Then, T'Pau rose, "I am sorry, but I have other business I need to attend to. I have come to believe that you do only have Vulcan's best interests at heart, but I have heard nothing that has changed my view of the situation. It is possible that future events may effect that, but for now, I have decided to keep Vulcan out of any alliance."

Soval rose too but wasn't ready to give up. "Will you hold off your final decision for a few days? I have taken the liberty of having _Enterprise_ come to Vulcan. They are only a few days behind me. For something of this importance, could you perhaps at least talk to Captain Archer and T'Pol?"

T'Pau hesitated. She really wanted to put this behind her. But she also wanted to be fair. And she did need to finally resolve the 'feelings' she felt in reference to Archer and T'Pol.

"Very well, but I hope you are not expecting much from such a meeting. I do it as a form of courtesy."

"I understand. Oh, there is one more thing. This information is top secret and of vital importance in the war against the Romulans. It is only to be entrusted to the highest levels of government and must be protected from anyone not authorized to hear it."

Seeing the look of surprise and interest on T'Pau's face, Soval went on, "The Humans have developed a device that enables them to detect Romulan cloaked ships. They are attempting to duplicate it so it can be distributed to other ships." Like Gral, Soval decided to not mention the Time Traveler, knowing the Science Directorate's opinion on time travel.

As T'Pau pondered the ramifications of that, Soval raised his hand and said, "Live long and prosper." He then left.

For the next couple days as they waited for Enterprise to arrive, Soval and Minister Kuvack sought out allies for their cause. They were disappointed to find that the rest of the Council would not take a stand. Even if they leaned toward helping Earth, they would not go against T'Pau.

They did get rumors of support from two unexpected sources. One they would welcome, but the other was worrisome to them.

The first rumor was confirmed when they received a support message from Ambassador V'Lar. Although she had retired and was in ill health, her words still did carry weight.

Soval and Kuvack decided to ignore the other possible source of support, hoping it was limited and would not become a factor. It appeared that several Starship Captains were worried that Vulcan would not be adequately defended. Soval and Kuvack feared that the military might take actions they could not support. Although they disagreed with T'Pau on this issue, they had no desire for her control over the military to be questioned.

As for the great majority of the Vulcan people, they would support whatever decision was made. There was only a small number of individuals that had not read at least some passages from the Kir'Shara, but the road back to Surak's path had just begun.

When Enterprise arrived, smashing all speed records for Earth ships, Archer and T'Pol were greeted by Soval and Kuvack. In the next few hours they were brought up to speed on what the status was, including a full discussion of Soval's meeting with T'Pau.

Archer sat back, "It doesn't seem like you made any progress. And, frankly, I am not sure what else can be said. You even had the courage to mention that she may be prejudiced against outsiders and it didn't seem to bother her. I don't think she sees that as a problem."

He went on, "She also seems to have resolved that the Romulans are not enough of a threat to change her position. I'll visit with her and give it a try, but I don't know what I can say that hasn't already been said."

Soval answered, "It is my hope that it is not what you say, but who you are that could have an effect. You are the one that Surak trusted to find the Kir'Shara. You are really the only human that T'Pau has spent time with. She did say that future events could change her mind. Perhaps as the war unfolds, the urgency will come more apparent."

Archer smiled sadly, "I just hope she doesn't find out she has waited too long."

T'Pau was finding it difficult to meditate. Finally, she gave up and making herself some tea, sat down and sipped slowly.

She was due to talk to T'Pol and Archer the next day. She had to decided to talk to them individually. She was not sure what she was going to say or what she wanted to accomplish.

As she took another sip, she sighed. She had thought after talking to Soval, she could soon put this all behind her. But, although had felt confident in her position while taking to him, the next few days had brought a series of events that threatened to shake her resolve.

First had been the arrival of _Enterprise_. While she had been able to talk of the Earth defending itself to Soval, knowing she would be facing individuals whose home world had been attacked would no doubt be more difficult. After putting off meeting with them for a day, she had received a call from the President of Earth.

" _Mr. President, I grieve with you on the loss of your family and the thousands of other lives."_

" _Thank you, but without your fleet's aid, it would have been far worse. We will always be in your debt."_

" _It seemed the logical thing to do."_

 _The President hesitated a moment and then said, "I want you to understand I did not contact you with the information I about to convey to you to attempt to pressure or attempt to affect your decision. I just felt I should alert you before you heard it in a different way. I am sure others on your planet are being informed."_

 _He went on, "Earth's parliament voted some time ago to declare war on the Romulan Empire. Since then Andoria and The Teller have joined us."_

 _T'Pau managed to hide her surprise, although she had known this could happen, she had not expected it to be so soon._

" _I understand Mr. President, and I thank you for contacting me. I do assure you we are very carefully considering our options."_

" _That is all I can ask. Whatever you decide, I know it will be because you believe it is in the best interests of Vulcan."_

T'Pau realized there was no more possibilities Vulcan would not be alone in their decision. Either they would join or they would be alone. There was of course were a variety of paths the future could take. If the war went well, she would have been proven correct that Vulcan could go her own way, that they did not need to be part of a future alliance. On the other hand, if the war went badly, there would be the question if it would have been different if they had joined. They could decide to help later, but it might be too late.

There were just too many variables. Vulcan needed to decide what was best for itself and live with the result. But, it was true that the cost of the choice was going up.

Both T'Pau and Soval would have more concerns if they knew of a meeting that was being held aboard the _Charon._

Ten Captains from the fleet were waiting in the conference room. Each had been contacted by the current Captain of the _Charon_ because he believed they had the 'same concerns he had with current happenings.'

Each had been reluctant to attend because they assumed it referred to their expressing their reservations about the Romulan situation. But, in the end, they all attended, not wanting to miss out on what was going on.

As they sat their waiting for their host, they all had the same thought, 'was this a trap? What would happen if T'Pau or their supervisors found out. Their fears were realized when Captain Sopek came through the door followed by High Commander Sarton, the Fleet Commander. They rose from their seats, fearing the worse.

They were stunned when he asked Sopek if everyone was there. Upon receiving a positive nod from Sopek, he told him to close the door and asked everyone to be seated.

When everyone had done so, still a little wary, he began, "I asked Captain Sopek to get you together because I understand you have expressed concern over Minister T'Pau's handling of the attack on Earth and that she apparently has decided to remain out of any alliance that might be formed."

"To put your minds at rest, I share your concerns."

As the Captains relaxed, he went on, "I have also brought some new information that may be of interest to you. First, _Enterprise_ has arrived from Earth and Captain Archer and Commander T'Pol have appointments to speak to T'Pau. It is hoped they can persuade her to change her position. While I welcome their help, I doubt they will be successful."

As he saw them absorb that, he continued, "We have also learned that Andoria and The Teller have agreed to join in an alliance with Earth. All three have declared war on Romulus."

After allowing the Captains to respond to that news, he held up a hand and as the room quieted, he got very serious and said, "This means we will be on the outside, looking in as the war begins. This will give aid to the Romulans by saving them from facing a united front. There will be two possible outcomes, neither of which I believe bodes well for Vulcan."

"If the Alliance is beaten, which is much more likely without our help, we may well find ourselves facing the Romulans alone. And if the Alliance wins, we will be facing an alliance containing species that once were our enemy and an Earth that we will have abandoned twice when they were attacked."

He paused and then leaned forward and said, "I also have no doubt that Earth could be a much more formidable force in that instance. There are rumors that they are embarking on a plan to greatly increase the size and power of their fleet, partly utilizing Vulcan technology."

He then sat back, and in a more conciliatory tone, said, "Do not misunderstand me. I have supported the Minister as she has reduced the fleet. I believe in her goals and share her vision of returning to the path of Surak. But she has never left Vulcan and has little experience in interplanetary affairs. I fear she underestimates the Romulan threat and the need to postpone some of her plans until the current situation is resolved."

Then he grew very serious again, "What I wish to discuss now must not leave this room. Do I have your word that it will be kept in strict confidence?"

Receiving nods from everyone on the room, he continued, "The situations that I just described are intolerable and are a danger to the freedom of Vulcan and the Vulcan people, a planet and people we have taken a sacred oath to protect. If T'Pau cannot be deterred from her present path, we will need to seek measures to be sure Vulcan is protected."

Looking stunned at what he was saying, one of the Captain's found a voice. "Are you proposing an overthrow of the government, proposing treason."

The High Commander looked straight at him, "We are in perilous times. The very future of Vulcan is at stake. I will not stand by idly while all I stand for and hold dear is destroyed. If it becomes necessary for us to do so, it will be because it has been forced upon us. When the crisis is past, we will gladly relinquish any powers we have utilized and allow Vulcan to proceed on its journey."

Then he relaxed, "I do not believe that any of this will be necessary. I have taken steps to have our concerns presented to T'Pol without her knowing who is involved. I feel she will take the logical step of avoiding such a confrontation."

T'Pol was naturally right on time for her appointment. After she was seated, T'Pau wasted no time on preliminaries. "I know you are here to try to convince me to join your alliance. I must admit, I am disappointed that neither you or Soval as Vulcans are not more sympathetic to my goal of restoring Vulcan on its rightful path. But on the other hand, it is your devotion to Earth that continues to justify my contention that it is dangerous to associate too deeply with other cultures."

"While you contend that we are corrupted, the truth is that we have realized that other cultures have something to offer. That the Vulcan way is not the only way, the we can learn from other species. If one does not expand, if there is no growth, one is limited."

T'Pau stiffened, "So you define growth as addiction, to indulging in carnal relations with other species."

Seeing the shock on T'Pol's face, she went on, "When I cured you of Panar Syndrome, I of necessity had to dig deeply into your mind. I know of your dalliance with Trellium and your intercourse with Commander Tucker. I fail to see how that is of any value or of aiding one to grow."

T'Pol managed to control her emotions. She answered coldly, "Those thoughts were private. Although I concede your need to explore my mind in order to cure me, it disturbs me you are now attempting to use them against me. It is unworthy of a Vulcan, especially one who holds Human emotion in such contempt."

The two stared at each other each waiting for the other to continue. T'Pol thought about T'Pau. She realized how young she still was. She and T'Pol were approximately the same age. She had been surprised when they had chosen T'Pau to lead the council. It had been primarily because she had been the Vulcan responsible for finding the Kir'Shara. She also realized she had no real experience in dealing with other races. Just as she was about to speak, T'Pau spoke first.

"You are right. I apologize. But it does not change the fact that you have been deeply affected by dealing with Humans."

"That is true but not in the way you seem to believe. The instances you refer to were because of my initial exposure to Trellium and my susceptibility to emotions that have been part of me since my youth. I would think my mother would have spoke to you of that."

T'Pau nodded, "Yes she did, she said she joined us because it might provide a path for you to fight those tendencies and to become a follower of the true teachings of Surak."

T'Pol continued, "I was as you say, 'contaminated' by the humans but in an entirely different way. From dealing with all of the crew, but especially Dr. Phlox, Lieutenant Sato, Commander Tucker and of course Captain Archer, I learned that each species has much to contribute. That no one path has all the answers. That with increased knowledge comes increased understanding. You must also understand that the reverse was true, that I 'contaminated' them as well. Captain Archer had nothing but contempt for Vulcans when I first boarded _Enterprise_ , but through working with me and interacting with Soval, he has come to appreciate how we may contribute and that we have much in common."

She paused and then said, "It does not seem logical to me that you appear not to approve of the alliance. Is it not better for them to be allies than enemies?"

T'Pau pondered what T'Pol was saying. It was not much different that what Soval had said. But it seemed to carry more weight coming from T'Pol, who more than anyone had to fight her own internal battles. She seemed to have finally found a balance. But she also felt that T'Pol was unique in a way, that being her deep friendship with Archer. She had often wondered if it were more. T'Pau had no understanding of what humans referred to as love. She knew that Vulcan bonding brought a feeling of togetherness, of understanding, of affection. But she could not understand how humans felt they could achieve a similar feeling without a bond. But all of this was not to the point. Vulcans could only stay on the true path by avoiding temptation. Even if one agreed that true growth could only come through expanding one's outlook, the Vulcan way of life did not require growth, or encourage growth, but staying true to themselves. Exposure to emotions however beneficial, could lead to the loss of Vulcan control and their reverting to the horrors of their past.

"You have apparently found a path that that you believe is best for you, but I cannot expose Vulcan on the hope that the end result will be beneficial. There is too much danger to our way of life. No, T'Pol, we cannot take such a risk."

They spoke longer but it was apparent that nothing had changed. T'Pol soon left.

As agreed beforehand, T'Pol returned to _Enterprise_ to report to Captain Archer. After obtaining a tea for herself, she joined Archer and his cup of coffee in the Captain's Ready Room.

She gave him a full report of her meeting with T'Pau, managing to leave out the information about the Trellium, but including her liaison with Trip. She went on to state she was afraid she had failed to change her mind. That she was set on her path.

Archer thought over what she said. He was a little perturbed at himself that her mention of her relations with Trip still had some power to bug him, but nothing like before.

After a time, while T'Pol sat patiently sipping her tea, he spoke up, "You know, her position on this may be much simpler that we may have been thinking. In fact, it is basically what all Vulcans feel, the fear of loss of control."

"Do you remember how you felt aboard the _Seley_ a when you realized that what had happened to them was happening to you?"

T'Pol shuddered internally, how could she forget? She felt as her very essence, her very soul was being ripped from her. "You think that is the basis of her concern? But meeting other races is not the same as what the Trellium did to me and the others."

"No, but it is like the old concept of the slippery slope."

"Slippery slope?"

"Yes, the idea that once you diverge from your path, no matter how innocuously or whatever the value of that divergence, you risk losing everything. That it is the first step to loss of control."

"I see. So, to her, the fact that while the 'divergence' may in itself be considered to have value, it is still too big a risk to take."

"Exactly." Then he shook his head ruefully and said, "The trouble is, she is probably right. Oh, I don't mean the Vulcans will return to their original savage ways, but it is true that things will change. While I believe they would be beneficial in the end, there is no guarantee. And what I think would be good for Vulcans, she and," smiling at T'Pol, "maybe even you would disagree."

"You mean, be more like Humans?"

As T'Pol gave her Vulcan smile, Archer gave a good laugh, "Yeah, something horrible like that."

Then he turned serious again. "if we are right, then I am not sure what we can do. It is hard to argue against a belief that is grounded in truth."

"But what of the Romulan threat? If it did not exist, would you be trying to change her mind?"

Archer said, "Yes, that is the question. But we were trying to get Vulcan to join an alliance before the attack. I still believe that an alliance would be of benefit to all, even Vulcan; Romulan threat or not. But, ti would not have such a sense of urgency."

Just then the communicator buzzed. Leaning over, he pushed the button, "Archer here."

Hoshi told him there was a communication from somewhere on the planet stating it was specifically for Captain Archer.

Looking questioningly at T'Pol, he asked Hoshi to pass it through.

After quickly reading it, he pursed his lips and gave a small whistle, "Well, this opens a new can of worms."

T'Pol having heard Trip use that same idiom, asked, "What is it?"

Turning the screen so T'Pol could read it, she saw the following message:

 _This message is from the Vulcan military. There is a growing consensus amongst us that although Minister T'Pau has the best interests of Vulcan at heart, she is endangering Vulcan with her inability to recognize the Romulan threat. Although the thought of interfering, of taking steps that would go against a long Vulcan tradition is abhorrent to us, we cannot let that dissuade us from doing our duty to protect the Vulcan people. These are perilous times that call for extraordinary action. If T'Pau does not see a way to do her duty, we may regretfully have to see that it is done._

T'Pol looked up at Archer, "Fascinating."

"Scary."

"Do you really believe they would attempt to take over the government? Would they have any chance of succeeding?".

"I would think they would first make their demands known, probably make a show of force, try to influence T'Pau or someone else in the government to meet their demands. Whether they would go so far as to use military force, I don't know how widespread it is. In any case, it would bring everything to a head. Whether it would achieve what they want or create such a backlash that Vulcan would definitely stay out of the Alliance would be hard to say." He then ran his fingers through his hair and said, "We had a lot of these on Earth before the war, and they seldom worked out well."

"What are you going to do?"

"Just what I think they want me to do, show it to Minister T'Pau."

"Are you sure that is wise?"

"No, but it's a no-win situation. If I don't show her and they do take action, I would rightfully be accused of hiding it from her, because I supported their action. When I do show her, she will probably think I support their position and am trying to use it to force her to change her mind."

"Do you support them?"

"No. But I do understand their frustration. But no, this is not the way to get it done. I firmly believe the cure would be worse than the disease and could be a disaster for Vulcan."

Archer entered T'Pau's office and sat down to face her. Although she looked and dressed much different that the woman he had spent the time with in the Forge, he could still see that person in her. He had grown to like and admire that woman, he wasn't sure about this one.

T'Pau saw him come in and sit down. In spite of herself, he still managed to create a reaction within her. In most ways, he was the epitome of everything she knew about Humans. He was arrogant, emotional and smelled. But he was also the man that had been chosen by Surak to find the Kir'Shara, the man that cared for T'Pol, and one she had strangely found a sense of comradery with.

Archer spoke first, "It's good to see you again, Minister." He looked around, "The circumstances have changed somewhat."

"It is satisfactory to see you as well. Yes, much has changed since we found the Kir'Shara."

She went on, "I must admit I have been curious about something though. Did Surak give you any indication of why he chose you over me."

"Just that I was not Vulcan and thus not affected by the changes that had occurred."

T'Pau was a little taken aback. Apparently Surak was not impressed by how they had tried to follow his path. He had included them with those that had lost their way. Once again Archer had managed to shake one of her long-held beliefs, that the Syrannites had been on the true path.

Archer was speaking again. "I am sure we both know why I am here. I was summoned to somehow persuade you of the need for Vulcan to join the Alliance. I, of course, have talked to Soval and T'Pol about their conversations and also with Minister Kuvack. I also understand that Ambassador V'Lar contacted you. I do not know if her opinion carries a lot of weight, but I have to admit I was proud to have her do so. I admire her very much."

"I admire her as well, but her opinion does not change my position."

There is very little I can say that others haven't, but with your permission I will attempt to present our case in its entirety. I also have a large new piece of information that may or may not affect your decision but will be of great interest to you and I would think an area of concern. I will include it in what I present and when I am finished will attempt to answer any questions you have. I am also willing to further discuss any remaining opposing points of view. Shall I proceed?"

It took T'Pau a few moments to absorb what he had said. What new information could he have? Then, deciding she would soon know, gave him permission.

"First of all, I feel I have had as much interaction with the Romulans as anyone in the Quadrant. I have also read all the information, as it is, in the Vulcan data base. Everything I have observed or read leads me to believe that they are an aggressive species that has already created an empire and wish to expand. Their actions with the drones convinces me they wished to cause chaos in the Quadrant, to seed mistrust and unrest. That the thing they most fear is a united front. Now why would they care if we are united or not? We are no threat to them. The only possible answer is that they have designs on attacking our planets. I also do not believe they did all that to just attack Earth. Rather I think it was an attempt to eliminate Earth as the one who has been most ardent in promoting an alliance. It comes down to this, what my enemy wants to do is what I want most to prevent. I also believe that no matter how much you wish to deny it, Vulcan will have to deal with the Romulans now or later."

He then said, "I believe Soval told you we have a means of detecting Romulan cloaked ships. It would be prudent to fight with a fleet that has such a weapon than alone without it."

He paused, then went on. "I of course am not alone in believing this." He took out a Padd and handed it to T'Pau." I received this message just a short time ago. I assure you I do not support their position and am passing it on because I believe you should know about it. I do admit that is what they no doubt intended me to do."

T'Pau read through it and in spite of the circumstances, Archer smiled inwardly as she raised her eyebrows. Evidently that wasn't just T'Pol who expressed emotion that way.

When he saw she had finished, he went on, "I believe that you are afraid that if you join the alliance, you will be undoing all the work you have accomplished in getting out of entanglements and hoping to set Vulcan on its true path. I believe that what you fear is true. If you renter the galactic community, Vulcan will never achieve the future you envision." He paused, "But that vision is not attainable. There are too many warp cultures, too many planets that will interfere with Vulcan. It is too late to for any of us to return to where we were, even if we greatly desire it. Soval has a different vision of the future, one that sees an alliance of planets, an alliance to promote the best hopes of us all. It will not be perfect, nothing is, but I believe it is our best hope. Quite frankly that Alliance needs Vulcan, we need your wisdom, we need your logic."

"He looked into her eyes, "T'Pau, I know you are afraid of what could happen to Vulcan. But I truly believe that its best hope to be free to control its own destiny and its unique way of life lies in helping others to do the same."

Archer then sat back in his chair and took a small breath. They both sat there quietly for some time.

Finally, T'Pau spoke. "I don't believe you truly understand how strongly I believe that if I choose to go your way, I will have betrayed all that I believe in. That I will have taken away Vulcan's last chance to be what Surak envisioned."

"No, T'Pau, I do understand. But I know that Surak's vision will be of no value if Vulcan is conquered. His vision requires that Vulcan be free."

Another few minutes passed.

Then T'Pau said, "Thank you for coming, Captain. I will render my final decision soon."

Archer rose, and raising his fingers, said, "Live long and Prosper, Minister."

She then surprised him by offering her hand which he smiled and shook. Then he went out the door.

T'Pau looked down at the Padd Archer had given her. She wondered what the originators of the message would think if they knew she could take away their chance to fight the Romulans with a device that could detect cloaked vessels.

After Archer returned to _Enterprise_ and notified Soval of what had occurred, he got permission to dock _Enterprise_ and then ordered everyone to take leave on Vulcan.

As the shuttle carrying the bridge crew, Porthos, and Phlox landed, everyone discussed what they planned to do. Hoshi and Travis were off to Mount Seleya to view Vulcan's most famous landmark. Trip and Malcolm had been told of what would be the equivalent of a human bar. They talked Phlox into joining them. T'Pol and Archer had again been invited to spend some time with Soval and his wife. As their house was within walking distance, they had set off, Porthos walking just ahead of them.

Trip and the rest watched them go. He turned to the others, "Are those two ever going to figure out how they feel about each other?

They all smiled as they headed off to their intended destinations.

Three days later, Ministers T'Pau and Kuvack spoke to the High Council and the Vulcan people. The Council agreed with their recommendation and Vulcan declared war on the Romulan Empire.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N These characters still belong to Paramount.**

 **A/N I want to thank EroSlackerMicha, schokolowski, donsamb, and LoErneBraska for your reviews. I do have to single out John Andersen, who has honored me by choosing my story for his first ever review. All you guys make my day and bring me joy.**

Solon headed for Vandor's office. It had been three months since Vandor had surprised them about attacking Earth. When the fleet did not report back when expected, three ships had been redirected from their station about half way to Earth to determine what had happened.

While there was a communication network that enabled Romulus to be in contact with their ships to a point about half way to the Quadrant, there was currently not a direct route to them beyond that point.

It had taken the ships almost two months to travel to Earth and return to a point they could communicate with Romulus.

They had just reported back about the fate of the original fleet and the limited damage the Earth had received. They also brought news of the new alliance that had been formed. Romulus would not receive an official declaration of war for another couple months.

When the ships had been redirected, Solon had ordered that any communications received be delivered to him personally. He was now on his way to inform the Praetor. He was not looking forward to it. He did not dare entrust it to anyone else however.

Solon was aware that Vandor had the capability to become violent and knew he might be the one man that could forestall it.

Passing quickly through security, he entered the office. Before he could even sit down, Vandor growled, "Well, let me have it."

Solon paused and handed the Padd over. Vandor quickly read it then threw the Padd against the wall. Then he screamed, "What kind of commander lets a cloaked fleet be destroyed? Twenty of our best cruisers gone! And what did they accomplish? One city destroyed! Archer still alive and now they have formed an alliance against us!"

Solon let him rage for a moment, and then said calmly, "Let's place the blame where it belongs. It was your impetuousness and our acquiescence that brought this disaster on us. It was a fool's errand from the beginning."

Vandor stared at him and then went livid, pulled a knife, and started to move around the table.

The sword appeared as if by magic in Solon's hand as he stood calmly awaiting an attack.

The Praetor halted, and then getting control of himself, returned behind the desk, replacing the knife in its sheath.

He stared at Solon, "Any other man would be dead."

"I am not any other man."

Vandor slumped into his chair as Solon finally took a seat.

After a few minutes, Vandor looked up ruefully. "I messed up, huh."

Solon had always been amazed how Vandor's moods could change so quickly. It appeared he had recovered his senses.

"We did not oppose you."

Then Vandor gave the smile that had charmed many, "I guess the only thing to do now is win the war."

Solon gave what passed for his smile, "That would be the logical thing to do."

Vandor sat back, "We better get Torok up here and I'll have to make some kind of report to the Senate. I still think that we can end this fast. A fleet of two hundred cloaked ships should be able to destroy their combined fleet. Let's find out what type of intelligence we can put together on what they have."

Solon nodded, carefully refraining from saying that should have all been done before. Their arrogance had gotten them here, but it would all be forgiven if they prevailed.

It had been six months since the attack. There had not been any sign of Romulan activity. Archer and T'Pol had seen little of each other during the period. She and Trip had made a breakthrough on duplicating the detection device but it had occupied almost all their time.

Archer had been in space, working with the other planets to attempt to coordinate efforts between the fleets.

Natalie Tucker sat in her living room looking out the window that viewed the front yard. Now nearly seven months pregnant, she contemplated the coming birth. She had seen little of Trip in the months since the attack. Part of her was angry at him that he did not share in her pregnancy. But she believed what he had told her, that what he was doing with T'Pol was vital to the conduct of the coming war. He said it was absolutely top secret and even telling her that was dangerous.

She was grateful for the support of her father and her sister-in-law who had both stayed with her at various times, taking care of whatever she needed. Except her need for Trip.

But now, as the time for the birth neared, she was facing another question. Her father had accepted that Trip was needed at Starfleet but looked forward to having Trip join him when they were done.

Natalie instead was very torn. For herself, she wanted Trip to be safe, to stay on Earth, to be with her, to be there for the birth of his son, because she loved him. But she also knew that, even if he would not admit it to himself, he would never forgive himself if _Enterprise_ went off to war without him. So, she needed to convince him to go, no matter how much she wanted him to stay, because she loved him.

Starfleet headquarters was a sea of activity. Starfleet Security, MACOS, and the Terran Army were everywhere. Overhead, ships from all four planets circled in orbit, with others patrolling the surrounding space.

On the fourth floor, Sergeant Wendell Harding and Ensign Patrick McDay stood guard outside a large meeting room. In that room, the leaders of the alliance would make the decisions on how to conduct the war.

Each of the soldiers were armed with Phase rifles, watching down the hallway that led to the room.

Harding looked around, then spoke up. "Well, they are all in there except for the President and Admiral Gardner."

Looking around again, McDay snickered, "Do you know if the Tellerites were both men or women or what? They all look alike to me."

"You better be careful with that kind of talk. If Admiral Gardner ever hears you said that, you will be working on a garbage scow. Did you see those Andorians? Those uniforms are something else."

"Yeah, especially the woman's, I have never seen so much blue skin. I think it's my new favorite color."

"Janice better not hear you say that."

"It's okay, her eyes are blue."

"Her eyes are brown."

Harding acted affronted, "How do you know what color my girlfriend's eyes are?'

McDay was about to answer when he suddenly straightened up.

Just then Admiral Gardner and President Samuels came around the corner.

The two guards became alert and watched them approach, surveying the area behind them.

Harding opened the door as they came up to them. Samuels said, "Good morning, Gentlemen."

Both nodded and returned to their posts as Gardner followed the President through the door. Gardner then stuck his head back out and said, "Stay alert out here."

Both answered, "Yes, Sir."

Samuels and Gardner moved forward to the large table located in the center of the room. Six individuals, two from each planet of the alliance sat at the table, with their aides seated in chairs behind them.

Samuels and Gardner sat at the table where their aides had laid out papers and PADDS.

Gardner looked at the individuals seated with them. He had met most of them. But in a way all this still seemed surreal. These aliens would be his counterpart, his allies, in a war.

General Thrang and the military commander of the Imperial Guard, Commander Tarran, represented Andoria. Gardner was proud of himself when he didn't look at the impressive assets of the Commander.

Minister Kuvack and the Minister of defense, Soroc, represented Vulcan. As expected, Minister T'Pau had no intention of leaving Vulcan.

Premier Gartl and Viscount Marl represented The Teller.

Samuels began, "Welcome to Earth. It is an honor to have you all here. Before we begin, I would like to clarify one point. I understand that this group has the complete authority of their planets to make the final decisions on what is discussed during these meetings. I especially want to have Minister Kuvack assure us he has the full backing of Minister T'Pau."

Minister Kuvack answered, "I assure you all that I speak for the Vulcan government and the Vulcan people."

"Very well, I believe we are ready to begin. You all have the agenda before you."

"It has been previously agreed that the war will be conducted by a War Committee consisting of the four leaders of each planet. Three of us are here now. The only change is that Minister Kuvack will be replaced by Minister T'Pau. I also want to remind you that all parties must be in agreement on each decision. Each one must be unanimous."

Now, the first item on the agenda is how we will refer to the alliance. I believe formalizing it will enable us to better communicate to our citizens when we discuss the war."

Everyone agreed and a discussion followed. They soon arrived at two choices separated by one word. Either 'The Alliance of Planets' or 'An Alliance of Planets'.

Admiral Gardner was surprised as he watched the President and the Tellerite premier go back and forth arguing which one they should adopt. But then he realized Samuels was doing it for the Tellerites, who were obviously enjoying the debate. He knew that the Tellerites often felt they were the extra wheel in the alliance, because of the deeper relations Earth had with both Vulcan and Andoria. He had to smile to himself as Samuels finally conceded and the alliance was officially called 'The Alliance of Planets'. In the future it quickly became known as just The Alliance.

With that behind them, they discussed if they should have any symbol that would designate the alliance and perhaps be part of the uniforms of the different planets. They finally decided they would have a patch created that could be put on the various uniforms.

They put off deciding who would design the patch, realizing that might be affected by later decisions.

The next order of business could have proven to be more difficult, but everyone quickly agreed that English should be the prominent language of the alliance. This was not done to honor Earth but just that they all knew it was by far the easiest to learn. They also decided, for the sake of conformity, they would change over to just Vulcan translator devices.

They then decided that because the patch might contain letters or words, and it was now agreed that would most likely be in English, the designing and manufacture of the patches fell to Earth, with the proviso that the final design would have to be approved by the War Committee. It would turn out to be a white letter A superimposed over four colored stripes, each representing one of the planets, Black for Andoria, Brown for The Teller, Red for Vulcan, and Blue for Earth.

All had gone surprising smoothly up to then, but as they broke for lunch, catered by Chef from _Enterpris_ e, they knew the more difficult issues laid ahead.

When they had all returned to the War Room, Samuels announced the next item. How the War would be paid for.

It was understood that the two wealthiest planets were Earth and Vulcan. Aside from the fact neither Andoria or The Teller were rich in resources, years of conflict had sapped both planets.

Samuels spoke first. "To begin this item, we need to agree on what costs will be paid or reimbursed by the alliance. I will start it by suggesting two items we identified during the morning meeting. That is, the patches for the uniforms and the translating devices."

Premier Gartl came next, "All expenses relating to maintenance of the fleet should be paid. Including repairs to ships damaged in battle.

Minister Kuvack said he agreed, "But it should be as of a given date, Vulcan does not intend to pay for past maintenance or damage."

Thrang suggested, "How about the day of the attack?"

Kuvack shook his head, "No, only a small part of the combined fleet was involved in that. I will agree to pay for damages incurred during the attack, as those to the Earth ships but no others. I suggest the same rule apply in the future, only for ships that directly engage in the war."

Samuels spoke next, "I agree with the Minister about not using the attack date. But, I also think that when a date is agreed on, any maintenances should be covered. All ships should then be considered part of the fleet."

The Premier said, "I am willing to stipulate to that."

Samuels turned to Kuvack, "Minister?'

Kuvack nodded. Samuels then looked at all four, "We are all in agreement then?"

Thrang spoke up, "How about the expense for building new ships during the war?"

Kuvack shook his head, "Vulcan will not pay for others to build up their fleets." But he added, "We do agree that once they are built, their future maintenance will be covered."

Samuels then spoke up, "I believe we should clarify one point. All these items are only for the length of the war with the proviso that any damage incurred during the war will be paid even after cessation of hostilities."

He then said, "Are we all in agreement then?"

Getting an Ok, he asked, "Next item?"

It was the Premier again, "All wages of crewmen and officers should be paid by the alliance. Also, all bills dealing with their health. Of course, all items such as fuel and other expenses in running a ship should be covered."

Thrang asked, "How about the pay of those who support the war, mechanics, etc.?"

Samuels said, "I think that would be impossible to identify. I would rather see them get paid for their time only when it is directly involved with the war."

Admiral Gardner spoke up, "I also believe all funeral arrangements, etc. should be covered."

Samuels nodded, then said, "Anything else along this path?"

Kuvack said, "I hate to bring this up, but what will the crewman and officers be paid? Will each planet set their wages or should we have uniformity across the fleet?"

Gratl answered, "I would believe it would be better to pay a uniform rate, but it would have to be what the highest rates are now. I wouldn't want to cut someone's pay, especially as they are now going to war. I wonder though, after the war, when some us us would have to lower their pay again."

After a brief silence, Samuels said, "I think it needs to be uniform at the highest rate. We will have to identify what rank in one fleet corresponds to in another fleet. As for after the war, I would think they would realize the higher pay was due to the war."

He then addressed them again, "Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?"

After no one said anything, Kuvack said, "Whatever we decide here, there will be many questions as to whether something should be paid or reimbursed. Who will make those decisions? And who will be responsible for disbursing the funds?"

Thrang answered, "I believe we should create an independent committee to handle it consisting of individuals from each planet appointed by the War Committee. We could call it the…War Finance Committee."

Samuels said, "I would agree to that. But I think they would need to be audited on a regular basis."

Gratl said, "How about if they submit a detailed report to the War Committee every six months? The War Committee could also have the right to do a surprise audit at any time."

Everyone agreed to that. Now they were back to the big question, where would the money come from and how much may be needed.

Samuels had known this was to me a major factor in the future of the alliance. With all that had been done, there was still a chance for the alliance to break apart. His main concern was the Tellerites. He knew they were already feeling that they were thought of as the weak link. The trouble, it was true to a point. Although they were currently much militarily stronger that Earth, they realized that the future potential laid with the humans. They were also leery of the others, knowing they would be in a bad position if Vulcan and Andoria were to unite against them. Samuels thus knew that if they pushed too hard on the money situation, they could alienate the Tellerites and perhaps even the Andorians.

With that in mind, he had contacted T'Pau and found she shared his concerns. Having taken the step of joining the alliance, T'Pau was determined for the endeavor to be a success. Between them and their legislative bodies, they had worked out a plan that would put the financial burden on them. They hoped it would show their interest in treating the Tellerites and Andorians with respect, not have it look like charity.

Samuels now spoke. "I and Minister T'Pau have prepared a proposition we believe is an equitable way to satisfy the monetary needs of the alliance. With your permission, I would like to present it at this time."

The others were surprised but agreed to listen.

"First, we would all contribute to a war chest. This money would then be used by what we have already decided would be a War Finance Committee. As was agreed upon, this committee would administer the funds under the watch of the War Committee. They would also instruct the committee if they required more funds. The fund would then be replenished according to the same formula under which it was originally established."

"Second, since I think we would all agree the Vulcan currency is the most respected and accepted by the galactic community, it should be the currency of the alliance. The contributions of the planets would reflect the current rate of exchange. For example, Earth would contribute two Earth credits for each Vulcan dollar."

"The basis for how much would be paid by each planet would be based inversely upon the number of ships the planet provides to the fleet. We will discuss the fleets more in the military meeting tomorrow but obviously Earth and Vulcan would contribute the most."

"We estimate that we should set up a war chest of 50 trillion Vulcan dollars. That is based on a war that would last three years."

As he finished, the Tellerite and Andorians were shocked, this was a better deal than they were expecting to get after having to fight for it. They became suspicious, looking for the catch.

Finally, Thrang asked, "Who will determine the rate of exchange?'

Kuvack answered, "Right now, one is set by the Rigelian Trade Commission who as you know, trades with all of us. But if you object to using that, I am sure we can find one we can all live with."

The Premier asked, "What happens if there are excess funds?"

Samuels answered, "They will be paid back to the planets based on the same ratio as they were originally contributed."

"Will this number change if the planet loses or adds ships?"

"No, no one will be punished further for losing ships."

Still suspicious, but not able to see any danger, Andoria and The Teller agreed.

Rising, Samuels said, "Thank you all. Nothing will be signed until after the Military situation has been discussed tomorrow. If anyone thinks of anything, we will discuss it then."

As the others began to rise, he added, "Don't forget we have a social event planned for tonight which we hope you can all attend. Shuttles will be outside the hotel at 2000 hours."

With _Enterprise_ back on Earth, Hoshi and Travis spent all their time together, mainly in their apartment.

Archer and T'Pol also spent time together, sharing meals and taking Porthos for a walk along the beach. They talked about ship business and sometimes previous events on _Enterprise_ , but mostly they just quietly enjoyed spending time with each other.

Mercy McBride finished her first letter to T'Pol. She wanted to be sad because of the war, but knew she had to be strong like T'Pol would be.

Natalie and Trip sat together on their couch, their bodies touching and their hands entwined. Trip and T'Pol had finished their work and Trip had spent his time with Natalie, wishing he could have been with her more for the entire pregnancy.

Natalie had finally worked up the courage to talk to Trip.

"Trip, we need to talk."

Trip looked up guardedly but managed a smile. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Natalie had to smile but then turned serious again. "Trip, I love you."

He interrupted by saying, "I love you too."

"Please, Trip, let me finish."

Looking worried now, he said, "Okay."

She squeezed his hands and said, "I love you, and I want more than anything for you to stay home and be with me. To be safe."

She hesitated and took a deep breath, "But we both know you will be miserable and never forgive yourself if you let _Enterprise_ leave without you."

She looked into his eyes, "Because I do love you, you have to go."

Trip started to speak, as if he was going to object, but then he sighed, "You're right, Natalie, as much as I want to stay, I belong with them."

With both them tearing up, Natalie managed a small smile and said, "But you have to promise me, you'll finish them off fast and come back to me and Charlie."

Trip smiled and reached over and kissed her softly on the mouth. "I promise."

Natalie then said, "I know you could leave anytime, but don't worry, Dad and Elaine said they would be here when Charlie is born."

Trip straightened up, "No, no. I agree I need to be on _Enterprise_ , but there is no way I will miss the birth of my son."

Natalie looked shocked, "But, what can you do if they order you out?"

He reached over and took her face in his hands, "Listen to me. I will be there when Charlie is born. If Starfleet wants me on _Enterpris_ e, they'll just have to figure out a way."

Natalie smiled, "Okay, I believe you." After a moment, she said, "We should talk to Jon as soon as possible."

Trip nodded, "I'll contact him tomorrow."

Then he looked leeringly at her, "But right now, I have something else in mind."

They fell into each other's arms.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N Thanks to donsamb, EroSlackerMicha, and AnonymCzZ for their reviews. I do have to give a special note to AnonymCzZ for comparing me to Gammara. Her stories were the reason I got hooked on fan fiction. I have reread them many times.**

The next morning, as they had discussed, Trip and Natalie attempted to contact Archer. To their surprise they got a recorded Starfleet message saying that Captain Archer could no longer be reached at that number.

They next contacted _Enterprise_ but only a skeleton crew was on board and they stated they could not reach Archer.

Now, wondering what the hell was going on, Trip called Hoshi.

When she answered, Trip wasted no time, "Hoshi, do you know what is going on? I am trying to reach the Captain but it's like he is hiding out or something."

"I don't know Trip, there are rumors flying everywhere. Everything from _Enterprise_ being taken away from him to him resigning from Starfleet. All I know is it seems like it has something to do with the big meetings going on at Starfleet."

Trip looked at Natalie who had been listening and figured he looked about as shocked and in the dark as she was. "Well, if you hear anything more, or if he contacts you, let me know. I really need to speak to him."

"Okay, Trip. I am sure none of it is true. I think I will check around too."

"Wait. How about T'Pol? Maybe she knows."

"I thought of that but couldn't reach her either."

Resignedly, "Okay, I'll call you later."

Trip then tried Malcolm and Phlox, but both of them were just as much in the dark. He tried T'Pol himself but got a message similar to that when he called Archer.

Trip even tried to reach Admiral Gardner but was told he was at the conference.

He and Natalie then tried watching the news, which surprisingly did bring them some information. First, that the second day of the War conference was being held and that they still had no information on what was happening behind the closed doors. They did learn though that Archer and T'Pol had been seen entering Starfleet headquarters. There were also reports that Shran and Gral had been seen.

Trip relaxed a little. "They must want them to provide some information to the conference."

It still didn't explain the rumors or why they couldn't at least leave a message for them.

Archer finished putting on his dress uniform. He never really enjoyed wearing them, but this new one seemed even more uncomfortable. Maybe it's because what comes with it, he thought ruefully to himself. After he finished dressing, he left the room and went out into the hall, just in time to see T'Pol leaving another room. He couldn't help but stare at her. She really did look amazing in a dress uniform. "Very impressive, T'Pol."

T'Pol turned and saw him. She had always thought he looked 'Heroic' in his dress blues. The very epitome of a Starfleet officer. Then of course, there was the fact it was more tight fitting that his normal work uniform. "I could say the same for you."

Walking side by side they made their way to a room adjacent to the War room. Gral, Shran, Soval, and the others were already waiting there. After exchanging pleasantries, they sat down to wait, listening to Gral complain about everything he could think of.

Inside the War room, the same participants sat around the table. President Samuels was speaking, "As you know, today we will discuss the military situation and what plans and preparations are to be made. I will now turn the meeting over to Admiral Gardner."

Gardner nodded and rose, moving to a dais at the head of the table. An aide grabbed a PADD and handed it to him. At the same time a large screen behind him lit up showing a section of the Galaxy.

"As you know, for the past six months, military planners from all the planets have been in contact, preparing possible scenarios for the war. Their final recommendation was sent to each government and is what we will discuss and decide whether to approve today."

He turned to the screen behind him. "This is a simplistic rendition of the positions of the combatants and other important forces."

"At the top of the screen is the Romulan Empire. The rendition is intended to show the relative sizes of each entity displayed." The Romulan Empire was in Red and spread out over the entire top of the image.

Gardner went on, "The black area to the left is the Klingon Empire. As you can see, at its most northern point, it is close to the edge of the Romulan Empire."

"To the right of the image, the area colored green is the Orion Conglomerate."

"The bottom of the screen represents the Quadrant with our four planets marked in blue."

"Since the attack, one of our high priorities was to find sources of information on the Empire, and perhaps develop sources of our own. It was quite an adjustment for our various intelligence agencies to start to work together. Up to now their main function was spying on each other."

"To our surprise, we were contacted by the Klingon Empire and provided with a great deal of basic information they had accumulated on the Romulans. Apparently, they hope to play us off against each other and were trying to level the playing field a little."

"We also found that there is a listening post between the Empire and the Orions. It receives information from inside the Empire. No one knows the source. We have been able to infiltrate the area by using elements of the Rigelian Intelligence Agency. Although Rigel has proclaimed its intent to remain neutral, it also knows they could easily become a target in the future. Thus, they have agreed to help us in some discreet ways."

"It is from these sources as well as talking to traders and others who interact with the Empire that the information I will now present was obtained. I cannot say it will be completely accurate, but since we have had corroboration on most of the data from more than one source, I believe it is accurate enough to make use of it."

He paused and an aide quickly moved forward with a water bottle, he took a quick drink and obtaining another PADD, started again.

"First, I will cover the resources available to both sides. Although these are largely estimates on the Romulan side, I believe they are not far off."

"The Romulan Empire consists of around five hundred conquered planets. It is spread out over an unbelievable area of space."

He paused and said, "Perhaps I should point out a remarkable fact about them before I proceed. The Empire consists of two parts. A relatively small area around their home world is known as the Core. No outsiders are allowed to enter. Within the Core, things are what we would consider normal, Romulans interact with other species, ones that were among the first conquered. None of those species are allowed to leave their home worlds or have any contact with anyone outside the Core."

'Outside the Core, you will not see any Romulans interact face to face with anyone but the Remans."

"The Remans were the first race conquered and have become the face of the Romulan Empire. Outside the Core, the Romulans remain in their ships and control the empire with their fleet. If a personal touch is needed, say ground forces to put down a rebellion, that is the job of the Remans. As hard as it is to believe, no one we have contacted know what Romulans look like. It is hard to fathom why this is so, what secret they are trying to hide."

"Some have said it is just to maintain an air of mystery, to make them seem larger than life." He then stopped and smiled, "Some say it is just the opposite, that they are so weak or tiny that seeing them would greatly reduce one's fear of them."

"In any case, this obsession with secrecy has proven a large factor when one is in a battle with them. In order to protect their secret, damaged ships will self-destruct rather than surrender. That also may be done to avoid someone learning about how their cloaking devices work."

"Now, let's get back to our discussion of the forces on both sides. As you would imagine, it would be necessary for them to have a huge fleet to maintain order in such a vast empire. It has been estimated, that they have over 1500 starships. Of course, they are not all top of the line. Many are capable of only low warp speeds. Many of their ships have never been to their home planet. Opinions vary as to how many of their ships are equipped to engage our fleet, but most agree It would be upward of 1000 ships."

"Now, for the Alliance forces. For the purposes of what we have available, we are only including ships capable of Warp 5 or higher."

"As you all aware, Earth has only four such ships at the present. But later we will discuss what efforts will be made by each planet to increase the size of their fleets."

"The Teller fleet consists of 78 ships. The Andorian fleet is currently 87 ships strong. The Vulcan fleet has been reduced to 48 ships. The total is two hundred and seventeen ships."

"To compare the capabilities of our ships against theirs is difficult. The most accurate method is probably to compare what we know of their best ships against the best of each of our individual fleets."

"Using that method, The Teller fleet would not be as powerful as their ships. The Andorian ships would probably be comparable and the Vulcan fleet would be considered the most powerful, mainly because only the best of their ships are left." He took another drink before going on. "While Enterprise is probably equal to the Andorian fleet, our other three ships are probably slightly weaker than the Tellerite Fleet."

"Now, for the planets' plans for expanding their fleets. T'Pau has made it clear she will not be adding any ships, but has agreed to not reduce the fleet any further."

"Andoria plans to build two ships a year."

"The Teller had stopped building ships but will try to build one a year."

"On the other hand, Earth has made plans to build a ship every six months at each facility. Thanks to the efforts of an Earth businessman, Lester Warren, twelve new facilities are being built all over the Earth. They will be operational in six months. When they are ready, Earth will construct twelve ships every six months. In the meantime, current facilities will produce five ships in the first year."

"At first glance, it would appear that we will have little or no chance, being outnumbered five to one. But there are many factors that need to be considered. First of all, as I have stated, they need a large number of ship to retain control. Thus, they can only be expected to use a portion of those 1000 ships."

"Secondly, from all we can tell, the Empire is not at it's strongest. They are dealing with a number of problems."

"One of these is a fleet of ships from a planet called Bovaria. Apparently, a fleet of over two hundred ships are being used to conduct a sort of guerilla war against the Empire, striking at them at weak points. Although they do not seem to be inflicting any great harm, they do tie down a large number of ships."

"Perhaps because of the Bovarian presence, many areas of the Empire are under revolt. One of the pieces of information we received from the Klingons was that a group of planets near them had, with the help of the Bovarians, threatened to break away. The Romulans had to use one of their finest fleets to put down the uprising. They are still stuck there to maintain order."

"One piece of information that may or may not be of importance is that there has recently been a coup and a new leader has taken over. As I say, it is impossible to judge what effect if any that will have."

"The next factor in our favor is the large distance we are from the Empire. Evan traveling at Warp 7, it takes two months for the journey. This, along with our new sources of intelligence, should give us ample warning of any large attack."

"Now, normally for those battling the Romulans, that would not be of value because of their ability to cloak. As you know, we believe we have the ability to greatly reduce that advantage."

Gratl interrupted. "Yes, the device Earth reportedly has. I am sure I share the curiosity of others at this table as to how the Earth came by such a technological breakthrough."

Gardner looked at Samuels who just smiled, and said, "The device was given to then Captain Archer by a man from the future."

Gratl snorted, while Kuvack could not completely hide his surprise. Of course, Thrang had already been told that by Shran.

"Gratl spoke up. "What kind of trick is this? Time Travel is impossible. Even the Vulcans know that."

Gardner shrugged, "That is what Archer has said. He is backed up by everyone on Enterprise, including," he looked at Kuvack, "T'Pol." He went on, "He and T'Pol both claim they themselves have traveled in time.

"Also, one of the basic components that apparently enables the device to work is constructed from a compound none of our scientists have ever seen."

As he let that sink on, Gardner hurried on. "In any case, the only real thing of importance is that the device does exist. Now, thanks to the efforts of Commander Tucker and T'Pol, we have been able to find a way to duplicate the device. However, as I said, one of the most important components is a compound we have no way of obtaining. We also found no method of replacing it."

"Fortunately, there was more of the compound on the device that it needed. Not only was the compound found in the heart of the device, it had been used in other parts. Those other parts could be replaced with other compounds. Thus, we had a supply of the compound we could use for other devices. We have been able to build 41 duplicates."

Although Gratl and the others were not still sure they believed anything about Time Travel, they decided to accept what they were hearing. After all, however it happened, apparently a number of these devices existed. But Kuvack still had a question. "How can you be sure the new devices work? It is my understanding that all of the Romulan vessels were completely destroyed."

Gardner smiled broadly, "When on patrol, _Enterprise_ discovered we have a Romulan ship apparently spying on Earth. Seeing its value and not believing we have anything to fear from it, we have been using it to test the device."

The others, less the Vulcans, couldn't help but smile themselves.

After a moment, Gardner continued, "Now, how can we put the limited ones we have to the best advantage?"

"When Minister T'Pau reduced the Vulcan battle fleet, she also began the creation of a series of science vessels. They are small, unarmed, but exceedingly fast ships, capable of reaching Warp 8."

"The plan is to deploy them to an area between half way and three-fourths of the way to the Empire. They will be outfitted with the device and be on constant patrol to detect any Romulan presence. There are currently twenty-five such ships. Four of the remaining devices will be placed on ships patrolling near our home worlds."

"The last twelve devices will be placed on selected ships, three from each planet."

Getting a nod from one of his aides, Gardner then said, "I suggest we break for lunch. Does anyone have any questions or observations at this time?"

When none were forthcoming, they all adjourned to a nearby room.

Chef also brought a meal to Archer and the others.

In a restaurant near the Headquarters, the office corps of _Enterpris_ e and Phlox were also meeting for lunch.

Malcom spoke first, "I have used all the sources I know, but what ever is going on is, nobody's talking."

Trip added, "Apparently, they are at Headquarters with Shran and Gral. I suppose they could just be going to contribute."

Hoshi shook her head, "No, there is too much of a buzz, I think something big is happening."

Travis agreed, "Maybe we're going to get our orders. It could be happening sooner than we think."

Trip had not said anything about his change of mind, waiting to talk to Archer, but now decided he should let the others know just in case they would have access to the Captain he wouldn't."

"I need to tell you something. I have changed my mind and am staying in Starfleet."

The others looked at him stunned. Malcom smiled and said, "That's great, Trip, it just wouldn't have been the same without you. We need you out there."

Hoshi, however, was not so thrilled, "What does Natalie think about this?"

"She is the one that told me I needed to go. I did tell her I won't go unless I can stay for the birth."

Phlox spoke up, "I am sure Captain Archer will find a way for that to happen. Although he understood and respected your decision, he has been very concerned about what your absence would mean."

Trip went on, "You can see why I need to talk to him. If you are going to head out, I may not be able to see him. I need you to let him know what is going on."

Travis answered, "Don't worry, Trip, we'll let him know."

They then ate lunch while discussing what the future could hold.

Everyone was back in their places in the War room, and Gardner resumed his presentation.

"Now, I will discuss how we plan to conduct the war. It is obvious we can not take the war to Romulus. Although we could perhaps emulate the Bovarians and attempt to nibble at the Empire, it would be counter productive in the long run."

"It has thus been proposed that we will plan on a war of attrition. We will defend, attempting to reject any attacks, sniping at any large fleet they send. We also hope that our ability to see them which we have strived to keep secret will give us a great advantage."

"We will hope to frustrate and thwart their attempts to invade and hopefully finally persuade them to abandon their plans. It will be a difficult role to play and will require patience, but we believe it is our only real hope."

"That is why the plan is to deploy the entire fleet at a point half way to Romulus."

"The idea is that we will thus have more time to attack the invasion fleet, to strike and retreat, hoping to weaken it and prevent it from mounting a full attack on the planets. If they should break up an invasion fleet, we would have to then do the same."

"Of course, it would be all but impossible to conduct such a war from here. The delay in communications would be disastrous not to say how removed we would be from the action."

"That is why the plan is to put the authority to fight the war to the fleet itself. While we will oversee the overall strategic plan and provide logistics, the actual conduct of the war will be handled by the commanders in the field."

While everyone pondered that, Gardner continued. "As I said, while the War Committee will be responsible for seeing that the Fleet gets what it needs and provide overall strategic planning, the actual conflict will be in the hands of a War Council. It will consist four individuals and a second in command from each planet."

"If any of the four main members of the council is killed or cannot continue, the next one will move up in the Chain of Command. The second in command will replace the fallen commander but will drop to the last position in the chain."

Kuvack spoke up. "As you know, the information we received did not contain the names of the members of the War Council. I of course know who we recommended but when will we know who is involved?"

In answer, Gardner signaled to an aide, who opened a door to another room and eight individuals came through and stood near the desk.

Gardner said, "I present the War Council."

"Fourth in command will be Ambassador Gral, who is assuming his former ranking of Viscount. His second in command will be Captain Frag who will command the Tellerite flagship _Norvan_."

"Third in command will be Ambassador Soval, who will also serve as Liaison for any negotiations we eventually have with the Romulans, His second in command will be Captain Sopek of the Vulcan flagship _Charon_."

"Second in Command will be newly promoted General Shran. His second in command will be Commander Brahn who will command the Andorian Flagship _Torgan_."

"And last, The Supreme Commander of the Alliance fleet will be newly promoted Admiral Jonathan Archer. His second in command will be newly promoted Captain T'Pol, who will command the Earth flagship, _Enterprise_."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N These characters are do not belong to me. But I do enjoy playing with them.**

 **A/N Thanks to EroSlackerMicha, Guest, and LoErneBraska for their reviews.**

With the introduction of the War Council, events moved swiftly.

The Committee accepted the choices and after some more discussion, the plan for the conduct of the war.

With the time that had passed since the attack, an ambitious date of two months in the future was set for the launching of the fleet.

With all that needed to be done, everyone was now anxious to return to their home worlds.

Twenty-nine detection devices were loaded on to the _Charon_ and four each on the flagships of The Teller and Andoria.

Archer and the other members of the Council met quickly and promised to keep in touch but knew they would most likely not see each other again until the launch.

President Samuels notified the various forms of communications that he would be giving a major speech the next day at one o'clock San Francisco time.

Admiral Gardner arranged to meet with the other Starship captains to bring them up to speed.

Archer contacted Malcolm and told him to have him, Hoshi, Travis, and Phlox meet him aboard _Enterprise_. Malcolm then stunned him by telling him Trip had been trying to reach him to tell him he was staying in Starfleet. Archer told him to have Trip come to the meeting as well.

As he broke off from Malcolm, he turned to T'Pol. "I guess you heard that Trip is staying in Starfleet."

"Yes, I am not sure how I feel about that. It will be good to have him along as a friend and we certainly need his expertise, but I hope Natalie is not hurt by this or that he will regret his decision."

"I agree. I think I will need to talk with him and be sure he is not just making a quick, emotional decision."

As Archer and T'Pol waited in the Ready Room for the others to arrive, Archer could not help but smile to himself at what the reaction of the others would be at his and T'Pol's promotions. His major fear was that it could disrupt the way they all worked together. He and T'Pol had agreed that he would still act as captain of _Enterprise_. T'Pol assured him that she did not feel slighted, that it would be 'illogical' for him not to be in command of _Enterprise_ when so much was at stake. Also, she knew her talents would be needed as Science and First Officer.

Malcolm, as would be expected, was the first to arrive. He entered and said, "The others are all coming, Captain. We are all hoping you have news for us."

With a twinkle in her eye, T'Pol answered, "Thank you, Commander."

Surprised she had answered, he turned toward her and saw the four stars on her dress uniform. Nonplussed, he turned back to Archer and felt his eyes widen and his jaw drop as he saw the six stars on Archer's uniform.

He started to stammer, "Uh, Admiral sir, I…"

Archer took pity and spoke up, "It's all right Malcolm, it was a shock to us as well. Sit down and have some water."

As he sat down, someone buzzed at the door and Archer called out for them to enter.

Still staring, Malcolm sat down and took a big gulp from the bottle. Seeming to recover a little, he said, "I guess congratulations are in order."

Just then Hoshi and Travis entered the room, "Congratulations for what?"

Before Malcolm could answer Hoshi saw the extra bars on Archer's uniform. "Never mind Malcolm, I see what you mean. Just to be sure Travis was caught up, she said, "May I add my congratulations, Admiral."

Archer still had to smile at their expressions and couldn't resist saying, "Don't you want to congratulate Captain T'Pol as well?"

Hoshi and Travis quickly turned to look at her, "Sorry, Com… Captain, we hadn't noticed."

Then Archer couldn't hold it back and had to laugh. "It's all right everyone, just have a seat."

As they sat down, he continued, "I could have handled that better, but I just couldn't resist seeing how you would react.

Just then the door buzzed again and when Archer told them to enter, Phlox and Trip came in.

Phlox started to say, "Sorry I am late, Capt….", when he saw the bars as well.

Archer just said, "Let's not go through this again, everyone just sit down, we have a lot to cover."

With everyone still looking a little stunned, Archer explained what the situation was. About how he and T'Pol came to be promoted and what the future had planned for them.

As Hoshi heard how he would be in charge of the fleet, she thought back over how their 'relationship' had changed through the years and yet still remained the same. When he had first contacted her about the job, she had only allowed him to visit her because of her curiosity about him. After all, he was to command the first Earth warp 5 vessel. But when he talked about the mission, when she saw his passion for what he was doing, she found herself drawn in. And when he played that language tape for her, challenging her to come with him, she found herself agreeing to something she had never planned on doing.

And when she lost her confidence and wanted to return to Earth, his unwillingness to listen, his insistence that she was the right one for the job, had convinced her to stay on. She always had many different, often confusing feelings for him. Above all, she respected him. It was mixed with a little bit of hero worship. In the Expanse, she had been afraid for him, watching him having to make decisions and take actions she was grateful were not hers to make. And, at some point, she had even wondered what it would be like having a romantic relationship with him. But in the end, they reached a point of mutual respect. She knew he thought highly of her abilities and trusted her. As for her, she knew she would follow him wherever he would lead.

And now, he again had the future of Earth on his back, as well as the other planets. Although she knew he was probably the one man that was suited for the job, she wondered if even he could pull this one off.

When he finished, he asked if anyone had any questions. They asked about the crew and he told them he planned to meet with them after contacting them to return to the ship the next day.

They then decided they everyone should take a couple of weeks off to get their affairs in order and see anyone they needed to travel to visit.

Then, asking Trip to stay for a moment, Archer dismissed the others.

"T'Pol and I are thrilled for ourselves that you are staying in Starfleet and God knows we can use your talents, but what about your new job and how is Natalie taking it?"

"Actually, it was her idea. She evidently knows me better that I do myself. She made me realize I could never forgive myself if I let you go without me. As for the job, Lester was disappointed, but I think he understands as well."

He then went on, "There is one thing though, Cap… Admiral."

"What's that?"

"I promised Natalie and myself I would be here for the birth."

"That could be a problem. As you heard, we are planning to leave in two months."

Seeing the look on Trip's face, he hurried on, "I am sure we can work something out."

"Thanks Admiral."

Although he felt deeply drained, with the stress of all that had happened, President Samuels knew he must find the strength to let the world know what was about to happen. He tried not to think of all the lives that would be affected by the actions that were about to be taken. The lives of not just the soldiers and sailors of the four planets, but their loved ones. He felt a wave of sadness as he thought of his own personal loss and how he missed the support of his family.

Taking a deep breath, he signaled to the cameras he was ready.

" _Good afternoon. I have asked for this time to bring you all up to date as to what has transpired in the past few days and what steps are being planned for the future_. _It has been an extraordinary time, meeting with the representatives of the other three planets. I have been greatly impressed by all of them. Although no one can foresee what will happen, I assure you that everyone in these meetings are fully committed to doing everything possible to perform our duty. I just want to say that your fears, your concerns and yes, your hopes are shared by all peoples of the Alliance of Planets._

 _Let there be no doubt, we are starting forth on a dangerous journey, and while no one can guarantee how it will end, I honestly believe that Freedom will prevail._

 _In the next few weeks, the Alliance will amass a large and powerful fleet. Our plan is to confront the enemy's expected attacks and repel them before they reach our planets. It will patrol space at a point between us and our adversary. It will remain vigilant until our enemy understands that his efforts are futile, that peace is the only solution, that we will not be defeated._

 _Let me be clear, there are dark times ahead. I am sure we will all face times when all seems lost, but I truly believe that a bright future awaits us. That is not because we are great leaders, or even completely due to our brave soldiers, but to the strength and will of you, the people of Earth and your compatriots on the other planets. As long as we stand together, as long as we trust each other, we cannot be defeated."_

 _Stopping, he took a long drink of water, and then continued._

" _Now, I know you are all wanting to know what will happen. What specific plans have been made. In approximately two months, the fleet should be ready to leave. Once it has started its patrols, it will not return until the war is over._

 _While the overall conduct of the war will be in charge of a War Committee consisting of the heads of the four governments and their military advisors, the actual battle decisions will be made by the commanders of the fleet. These commanders are well known to you._

 _They are Viscount Gral of The Teller, Ambassador Soval of Vulcan, General Shran of Andoria, and the Supreme Commander of the Alliance forces, Admiral Jonathan Archer of Earth._

 _Thank you for allowing me to speak to you and may a benevolent fate guide our path."_

While Malcolm was torn about returning home, he knew it was necessary. He had kept in contact with Jeremy and learned his mother was not doing well since his father had died. He also wanted to see Madeline before he left. As for Penelope, Jeremy had not said anything and Malcolm didn't feel he should ask.

When he arrived at the airport, it was eerily the same. Clyde picked him up and again refused to be paid. The difference was that all Clyde could talk about was the war.

When he arrived at the house, Jeremy came out to greet him. Malcolm was surprised to see that the attack had affected him as well. He was much more respectful than he had been in the past. When he saw his mother, he struggled to hide his emotions. She had seemingly aged tenfold in the time he had been gone. It almost broke his heart when she produced a smile. For the first time in his life, he unabashedly gave her a long hug, careful not to squeeze too hard.

For the short time that he was there, he felt guilty for every bad thing he had felt toward Jeremy. He was amazed how much he obviously cared for his mother.

That night, after she had gone to bed, he tried to thank Jeremy, but he shrugged it off, saying he was glad he could help. Then Malcolm got the courage to ask about Penelope. Jeremy looked rueful, "We've both lost her, I'm afraid. She is engaged to some guy that recently moved into the old Baxter house. He was looking for some peace and quiet to write a book. He's evidently a professor at some university."

The next day Malcolm decided to satisfy his curiosity and walked to Penelope's house. He also had to admit that although she had apparently moved on, he wanted to see her before he left.

When she answered the door, she gave him a big smile and hug as she invited him in. After they were seated on the couch, she grew serious and said she had hoped she would have a chance to see him before he left. She wanted him to know how proud she was of him and wanted to wish him the best.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. For a moment she looked a little ashamed, but then smiled and said, "That must be David. I really want you to meet him."

When she opened the door, and had exchanged a small kiss, she said, "Come in David, there is someone I want you to meet."

In spite of himself, Malcolm had to smile to himself, then was ashamed. David was a short, balding man who looked to be in his forties. He was a stereotype of a professor with thick glasses and a tweed coat.

Penelope had continued to talk as they approached him, "David, this is Commander Malcolm Reed who serves on _Enterprise_. Malcolm, this is David Preston, who is a professor of Philosophy at Oxford University."

David held out his hand which Malcolm shook but there was obviously little kinship between them. A little nervously, Penelope said, "David is on leave to work on a book."

Then there was an awkward silence until Malcolm said, "I understand congratulations are in order, Jeremy told me you two are engaged."

Penelope smiled but it didn't reach her eyes as she said, "Yes, David just swept me off my feet."

After another awkward silence, Malcolm soldiered on, "When's the wedding?"

This time she didn't smile and said, "We haven't set a date yet."

Then, just when Malcolm was beginning to wonder if he talked, David said in a surprisingly deep voice, "I have never understood the military mind. But I suppose it is comfortable to be able to see everything as black and white, us against them. One wonders how different history would be if those individuals with the ability to see a more nuanced world would have been more in charge."

Malcolm was about to say he would gladly take the professor with him and let him have a nuanced discussion with a Romulan Warship, but then saw the look on Penelope's face and held his tongue.

He quickly said he needed to get back, that his sister would probably be there by now. Penelope walked him to the door and said quietly, "Thanks, Malcolm. You have to excuse him, he has spent his whole life in academia. He really is quite brilliant and a good man."

Malcolm smiled, "I am sure he is. He must be okay if you love him."

Some emotion passed over Penelope's face but then she just said, "Take care, Malcolm and please come back to us." She then kissed him on the cheek and moved to shut the door as Malcolm said, "Goodbye, Penelope."

As it turned out, Madeline was waiting for him. After a big hug which surprised Madeline a little, they decided to go for a walk. They found their way out to the dunes. They had walked quietly for some time when Malcolm broke the silence, "Jeremy had told me that Mom was having a bad time, but I did not expect that she would be this bad."

Madeline nodded and said, "I know." Then she gave a small sad smile and said, "You always think of your parents as two old people who live together because they are married and your parents. And with Dad you would never think of anything romantic, but I think they truly loved each other and Mom really misses him."

Malcolm reflected on that. She was right, you really don't think of your parents as two people deeply in love. He went on, "Jeremy really seems to be good to her. It couldn't have been easy for him."

"I know you weren't really happy about Jeremy taking over, but he has been wonderful. I am not sure I would have been as patient as he has." Then she smirked, "But part of your problem with Jeremy was when you found out he was sniffing around Penelope."

Malcolm was about to deny that, when he shrugged to himself and said, "It appears I didn't have to worry." Then he smiled sadly, "Although, I would pick Jeremy over this David fellow. I wonder what she sees in him."

Madeline smiled sadly, "I think his main strength is that he is not named Jeremy or Malcolm and is nothing like either one of them."

"You don't think she loves him?"

"I think she is fond of him and maybe he is what she needs. I did check him out. His record is quite impressive. He is apparently quite brilliant."

Malcolm thought he should say more but realized it was really none of his business. He had given up any right to be a part of Penelope's life.

Madeline then changed the subject, "So, you are off to save the world again. Couldn't someone else do it this time?"

"I guess not, but at least we will have some help this time."

They walked silently for a while, then Madeline asked, "What kind of a man is Jonathan Archer?"

Malcolm looked at her surprised, "What brought you to ask that?"

She smiled, "Oh, I don't know. I mean, he is just so bigger than life. But he's just a man. I assume he goes to the bathroom, gets headaches, makes mistakes, burps at the table."

Malcolm had to smile, "Actually, he doesn't do anything of those things. He just sits in the Captain's chair and waves his hand to save the world."

Madeline struck him on the shoulder, "Don't do that. I really am interested."

"Okay, He is a human with all that entails. He is far from perfect. He has made terrible mistakes. But he is also a man who brings out the best in those around him. He is a man you can trust. All I know is that I would follow him wherever he leads and I am sure everyone on _Enterprise_ feels the same."

Madeline smiled, but then turned serious, "I'm afraid, Malcolm. I was worried when you fought the Xindi but this seems much more sinister. I wish you didn't have to go."

Malcolm reached out and hugged her. "I know. I won't lie to you, this will not be over quick."

But then he pulled back and smiled, "But there is one thing I forgot to tell you about Cap…Admiral Archer, he is the luckiest man you will ever meet. Somehow, he always lands on his feet."

Deciding it was time to get back, they headed back the way they came.

The next day Malcolm said goodbye and traveled back to San Francisco.

Travis was nervous. He wished he hadn't agreed to meet Hoshi's parents. She had told him they were very traditional in their views. They had not been happy when Hoshi had told them she and Travis were living together. Hoshi had assured him they would think it over and understand the situation. She said they would come to love him. Right now, the way he felt, he would settle for not outright hatred.

As it turned out, Hoshi had been closer to their reaction. Travis didn't think they were thrilled but they did seem to have accepted the situation. It had actually been an enjoyable visit. They had been intrigued when they learned how and where he had been brought up. They had listened raptly to his stories about life on the freighter.

Then, just as they were leaving, Hoshi's father had turned serious and said, "Travis, we are counting on you to bring our daughter back to us. We know that she loves you and you her. We will be honored to have you as a son-in-law." Travis said, "Sir, I promise you that I will do whatever Is necessary to see she returns to you, even if it should mean my own life."

With Hoshi and her mother both tearing up a little, her father bowed and then shook Travis's hand.

The visit to Travis's family was not quite as dramatic. Instead, they tried to embarrass Travis by telling stories about his youth. Travis thought Hoshi might have enjoyed it just a little too much.

They also discovered that like all freight carriers on all four planets, they had been brought into the war machine. After all, the Fleet would need supplies. The Vulcans had agreed to let the Alliance make use of a huge storage facility located near where the fleet would operate. But getting the supplies there meant a round trip of over a year. His family was just about to leave on their first trip. They were also surprised to learn that apparently the Andorians had a huge fleet of ships that traveled at low warp speeds, a remnant of a past attempt to form an Empire. Although many had been taken out of service, they were being reconditioned. Seventy of them had been sent to Earth to replace the ships that had been lost in the attack. Others were being used to escort the freight ships back and forth from the Great Depot as they referred to the Vulcan facility.

When Hoshi and Travis returned home, they decided they would continue to be with each other on _Enterprise_. They would not live together and would be discreet, but they did not intend to be apart. They figured that even if Jon found out, he would look the other way, especially since they were not breaking any Starfleet rules.

Archer and T'Pol were practically inseparable during the two weeks of leave. Since neither one of them had close family to visit, they remained in San Francisco and took care of some matters.

First, they met with Admiral Gardner to discuss the situation with Trip. Surprisingly, it turned out that there was a ready-made solution that was a win-win for Trip and Starfleet.

It seemed that the two new Starships were estimated to be ready for testing in about two months. Trip could remain and be involved in the testing. Not only would his expertise be welcome, he could teach others what needed to be done. Then when the testing was done, he could hitch a ride with the ships when they were sent to join the fleet.

Then, Archer and T'Pol made a very important visit. Arriving at a small house a few miles from the city, they were let in by Jane McBride and a very surprised Mercy McBride. At first Mercy just smiled and hung back, perhaps still a little nervous about T'Pol's reaction to her revelation aboard the ship. But when T'Pol opened her arms, Mercy raced to her. As Jane again fought back tears, Jon chided himself for being a sentimental fool. But then as he saw Mercy and T'Pol together, his love for T'Pol almost caused his heart to burst. At that moment, he knew he couldn't wait any longer, he needed to let her know how he felt. They spent practically the whole day there, avoiding both gorillas in the room. No one talked about the war or Torrin Syndrome. Instead Jon enthralled Mercy with stories about the early days of _Enterprise'_ s mission. Then he and T'Pol answered a barrage of questions about Shran, Soval, and Gral and their planets. Mercy was especially awed about hearing about Jhamel and the Aenar.

Then as they were leaving, Mercy suddenly turned serious and said, "Thank you for coming to see me."

When Archer and T'Pol assured her they had enjoyed it immensely, she went on, "I may not be here when you come home, but I know you will save my Mommy and everybody."

That left everyone with nothing to say. So, they all just hugged each other.

As they left, Mercy gave the Vulcan salute which T'Pol returned.

Jhamel stood by the entrance to the space dock, waiting for Shran to disembark from his ship. Even though everyone on Andoria knew of her and Shran, many were still amazed by her ability to overcome her blindness. Jhamel suddenly got a huge smile on her face and moved forward just as Shran approached the door. He quickly moved forward and enveloped her in his arms as they exchanged a passionate kiss. She then stepped back and said, "Do you have to do anything? Is there someone you need to meet with?"

Shran smiled and said, "No one. You are stuck with me for the next few days."

Smiling happily, they walked off arm in arm.

At home, after they had spent the afternoon making love, Jhamel spoke up, "How was everybody? Did you get to see Commander Tucker and his wife?"

"No, I am afraid not, I was only there for a couple days and we spent one of the days at Starfleet."

"We heard the news about the council. Most people seemed pleased that you were second in command but I also heard many say you should have been the Supreme Commander. They were saying how little time Earth had been in space."

"You needn't let that bother you. Anyone that knows what is going on knows that Earth had to be in charge. The Teller would never accept an Andorian or a Vulcan in that position, just as we wouldn't accept a Vulcan or a Tellerite. And if it is to be a Human, no one is better suited for it than Jonathan Archer. To be honest, I don't envy him having to deal with everything he is going to have to."

"I also heard you are leaving in two Earth months." She leaned over and kissed him, the said sadly, "I am not ready for you to leave."

He kissed her back and said, "I am not ready to leave you." Then he smiled sadly, "But then, I would never be ready to do so."

"How was T'Pol? Have she and Archer gotten together yet?"

Shran stared at her. "What makes you think they feel that way? I agree they are close but they have never indicated it is more than friendship."

Jhamel smiled, "Have you forgotten I am a telepath? When we were with them on Vulcan, I could sense that they did have strong feelings for each other. I would never enter anyone's mind without permission but you know I often sense strong emotions."

Shran smiled. "Archer and T'Pol. A human and a Vulcan. That would be something to see. Maybe I should try to give them a shove."

"No, you stay out of it. It is possible I could just be overestimating their friendship for each other. Besides, I don't want you to act because of my telepathy. I am afraid people will start to be nervous around me."

"All right. But if I see anything that convinces me, I will do what I can to get them together. The Pinkskin deserves to have someone. He is my friend and I would want him to be a lucky as I am."

Just then Jhamel grew seductive. "Speaking of getting lucky, it seems you are ready again."

Shran pretended to groan, "By the stars of Hord, you are insatiable, woman."

Jhamel just giggled and pulled him down upon her.

Archer paced back and forth in his apartment. Porthos sat moving his head from left to right, watching his master. "What have I done, Porthos? Did I get carried away?" After what had happened with Mercy, he finally gathered his courage and asked T'Pol to meet him at his apartment. But now, the old fears and doubts had reared their heads. He found himself talking to himself. "What if he had misunderstood everything? Was it really possible that she, a Vulcan, really loved him? If he was wrong, what would it do to their friendship, to their working together?"

Then he took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. He had made his decision, he needed to know. She deserved to know how he felt.

T'Pol left the cab that had brought her to Archer's apartment building. As she entered and headed toward his room, all the emotions she had experienced since he had asked her to join him rushed back into her mind. Try as she might, she couldn't help but believe he wanted to talk about them. Was he going to tell her he loved her, or was this meeting to tell her that they were just friends, to put things straight before they left.

Then, as she stood in front of his door, she cleared her mind. She would soon know. Whatever it was, they would deal with it.

She reached out and knocked.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N I still continue to only write for pleasure, borrowing these great characters.**

 **Thank you so much to EroSlackerMicha, Mojo01, LoErneBraska, and Guest for their reviews.**

When he heard the knock on the door, Archer took a deep breath and said to Porthos, "Here we go, wish me luck."

He opened the door and saw she was dressed in a human dress that finished just above her knees. Inviting her in, he motioned for her to set in a chair across from the couch and asked if she wanted some tea or water.

She gracefully sat down and indicated she would like some water. He got them each a bottle and sat down across from her.

"Thank you for coming. I know I didn't give you much notice."

"It was no problem. I had no other plans."

"I invited you here to talk about a personal issue. If it is okay with you, I have something I want to say. It may take a while but I hope you will hear me out."

T'Pol inwardly took a breath and attempted to relax. She thought back to what he had said when she was about to tell him whether she was returning to _Enterprise_. Like it was for him then, this was one of the most important moments of her life.

"Of course, Admiral."

Archer smiled, "Since it is personal and you are in my apartment, I think we can return to Jonathan."

"That would be satisfactory."

"I remember the first time I ever heard anything about you. Several of the other captains were saying how there was a 'sexy' new Vulcan on Soval's staff. To me it just meant that I had another adversary. Anyone who was with Soval was considered my enemy."

"When I attended the meeting welcoming you to Earth, I had to admit that the others had been right, but I made no effort to make you welcome. As I remember I was close to being rude."

T'Pol did remember. She had been interested in meeting the man that Soval was so intent on preventing from being the first captain of Earth's warp ship. He had appeared to be just what Soval described. But even then, there had been something about him, something that set him apart.

Archer had gone on, "Then of course, there was the meeting in Sickbay." He smiled ruefully, "When I made a rather pitiful attempt to intimidate you. We both know you would have probably kicked my ass."

T'Pol remembered that she had been a little embarrassed she had been driven to make a comment. She has been a little shocked by his response. But as she had told the medium on Vulcan, she had been impressed by how he took control of the situation.

"When I heard you were going to be going with us, I was really upset. And when I realized that you were holding back information, everything I believed about Vulcans seemed justified."

He looked over at her and met her eyes, "But from that moment forward, things began to change."

"To say I was shocked when you decided to aid us in continuing our mission when you could have had us return to Earth would be a huge understatement. It went against everything I had believed. And when it was over, I knew how valuable you could be to the crew. But there was something else, I realized I would miss having you around."

"That realization really came home to me when you were being recalled. I don't know if you remember, but I shocked myself when I told you that the Vulcans had taken something from my Father and I wasn't going to let them do it to me. I realized I meant very word of it, that it just wasn't because you were an important member of my crew, but that you had become important to me."

"There were many more times after that further convinced me of that fact."

He looked a little embarrassed, "And as personally embarrassed as I was how I acted when Porthos was sick, I was still stunned and pleased when you implied you could be attracted to me as well."

"But then the Xindi attacked and everything changed. I was torn between wanting you with us to wanting you to be safe. The less I say about what happened next is best. It is not one of my favorite or proudest times. But there were two memories about us that stand out. You telling me you didn't want me to die, but even more, that moment when I returned to the bridge when we went back in time. When we met, I had the feeling, I don't know how to explain it, that we were on the verge of something that would have been hard to move back from. So, I reverted to being Captain and Subcommander."

T'Pol decided she needed to take a chance, "I felt it too. I know I envied how natural the emotion was between you and Hoshi."

"Then came the Forge and again I knew how important you were to me."

"But through it all, I never admitted to myself what I actually felt. It was just too much for me to believe. When it seemed that you and Trip were becoming involved, I was surprised that I was jealous. But I stamped that feeling down too."

Then he reached out and surprised her by taking her hands, "But it was when you said you were leaving Starfleet and it was possible I would never see you again, that I finally faced the truth."

Archer looked into her eyes, "I am not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the line, you became the most important thing in my life."

As T'Pol sat there, not daring to believe, he went on, "I love you, T'Pol."

They both sat there, each stunned that it was finally out there, one relieved that he had finally had the nerve to say it, but terrified at what her reaction would be, while the other could not believe that he had really said it, that what she was afraid could not be true, was.

She squeezed his hands and looking into those green eyes, said, "That is most pleasing to me, because I love you, too."

T'Pol heart soared as she saw the look of pure joy on Jonathan's face. They both rose together and moved together as their lips met. She found herself pressing close to him, finally achieving the physical contact she had long desired.

Archer put his arms around her, feeling her body press against his.

Finally, they stepped back, each a little breathless. Archer smiled, "I never realized how much I wanted that, how much I needed that."

T'Pol came as close to a smile as Archer had ever seen, "It was most pleasant to me as well."

Then Archer smiled more broadly, "Well, what do we do now?"

Suddenly T'Pol returned to her stoic self, "Nothing."

Archer's smile faded as he said, "What?"

T'Pol took his hand and led him to the couch, sitting down beside him. "Jonathan, you are the Supreme Commander of the Alliance. You were selected because you are the only one the others trust to be impartial, but that belief is tenuous. The Tellerites especially will be looking for signs that you favor the others over them. If they were to learn we were involved, it is likely those suspicions would increase. With all that is at stake, we cannot risk that."

"Besides, you are my commanding officer. You must set a standard for the others. If we act on our feelings, we would be breaking Starfleet regulations. They exist for a reason. No one must believe that you would hesitate to put me in danger if such an action was needed. And you must promise me that that will not happen, that you will not treat me differently."

Archer was stunned and wanted to tell her how wrong she was. But as the words settled in, he knew she was right. There was too much at stake. What was that Vulcan saying, 'The needs of the many…'?

Looking sadly at her, he said, "The needs of the many?"

T'Pol was surprised at first, but then was proud of him, "Yes."

Then he had a thought, no one would ever know, "Couldn't we at least, you know, be together before we leave?"

T'Pol felt herself blushing. Then she said, "As much as I may desire that, as a Vulcan, it is important to me that we are first committed to each other through marriage. I believe it is necessary to a long-term relationship."

She saw Archer frown and realized he was thinking about her and Trip. She needed to explain the difference and then regretfully decided it was time to tell him the truth about the Trellium.

"If you are thinking about Trip and me, I was not in love with him and did not plan on a committed relationship." She hesitated, "There is something else I need to tell you."

"You mean about the Trellium?"

T'Pol was stunned, for a moment she was actually speechless, "How….?"

"After you and Trip left for Vulcan, there was a meeting with the Vulcans. Soval accused me of not doing all I could to save the crew of the _Seleya_. It got pretty heated and I walked out. Later Soval apologized."

"But, it reminded me that we had all that Trellium aboard _Enterprise_. I decided it would be best if I had it destroyed. I was surprised to find that some of it was missing and that there was an open container lying on top with some of the rocks gone."

"The only person I could conceive that would have any interest in it was you. Hoping that I was wrong, I decided to check first with Phlox. Without telling me directly since that would be against his principles, we engaged in a game of hypotheticals which let me know it was you but that he had been able to help."

T'Pol lowered her eyes, "Why did you never say anything?"

Archer reached out and raised her head to look at him, "I am hardly the person to question anyone's actions in the Expanse. Whatever happened during that time is best forgotten."

He then went on, "Does Trip know?"

"No, I did not want to excuse my actions with him by using my addiction." She looked him in the eye, "It was not the only reason we were intimate."

Archer felt a flare of jealousy but it quickly faded. That was all ancient history.

Suddenly he had an idea. "I'm afraid I agree we have to keep our feelings for each other to ourselves for now, but I warn you, the minute this war is over, I am going to ask you to marry me."

T'Pol flashed that almost smile again, "I will hold you to that."

Then they kissed again and sat together for a time before they reluctantly parted, knowing it would likely be a long time before they could express their desires again.

During the six months since the attack, corporations on Earth and their counterparts on the other planets had reached out to each other to discuss ways to aid in the war effort. One of the most interesting was the idea to sell products to bring the planets closer together and raise money for the war. One of the first areas was the area of children's toys. Action figures of the crew of Enterprise had been a big seller. As the war would go on the ideas exploded. Soon figures of all the prominent players were on the market on all the planets, with admittedly a very small market on Vulcan.

Then came dolls and games and model spaceships. All of the profits going to the War Chest. Ironically, one of the biggest sales items were Tellerite plush dolls. They were round and soft and were so ugly they were cute. It didn't stop with children though. Soon there were jackets and pants modeled after Andorian uniforms, although exact copies of the uniforms themselves were forbidden. There were Tellerite and Vulcan robes, and Starfleet jackets as well. Another big seller was a copy of T'Pol's nightwear. Natalie considered buying one but thought that could be awkward.

Travel companies started to work on plans for trips to the other planets but fears of attacks by the enemy forced that one to the back burners. Movie makers started to work on movies dealing with the war and life on the other planets. News outlets began to carry items of stories from the other planets. It soon became apparent that what T'Pau had feared was coming true much faster than she could have imagined, although Vulcan for the most part only played a small part in all the activity.

Earth Parliament passed the War Families Act which provided services for the families left behind which included medical and free legal services to protect them during the war. They had a provision for significant others, but there was a rush of weddings so the soldiers were sure their loved ones would be covered.

After the two weeks of leave passed, everyone felt a rush of urgency as the time leading up to the launch passed quickly.

It was decided that the respective fleets would meet at a point in space equidistant from the four planets where there would be a farewell ceremony with representatives of the War Committee present.

Both Starfleet academy and the offices for recruiting non-officer personnel were inundated with applicants. Although of course everyone had been affected by the original attack, the approach of the launch date forced everyone to face the reality of what was happening. There were huge support demonstrations for the war effort as people wanted to do something to show their backing for the troops. Although there were a few small pacifist protests, they were buried in the rallies for the war.

Through it all, there was no sign of Terra Prime.

Natalie and Trip spent as much time as they could together, leaving the preparations for the departure with his engineering crew.

Hoshi and Travis had little time to be together as they worked long hours on _Enterprise_ , but they did their best to make their alone time memorable.

Archer and T'Pol were gratified to discover that their finding out about their mutual love for each other made their friendship stronger and improved their working relationship.

Malcolm threw himself into his work, spending almost all his time on _Enterprise_. He made use of the hours he had spent studying all aspects of the ship by offering to help out in all departments.

The science ships from Vulcan, equipped with detection devices, left to begin patrolling. With speeds up to warp 8, they would be in place two months ahead of the arrival of the fleet.

It was three o'clock in the morning, just one week before the launch date, when Natalie shook Trip to awaken him. Still half asleep, he muttered, "What's wrong?"

"I think we better get to the hospital."

Trip was now awake, "Now?"

"Unless you want to deliver the baby yourself."

Within a half hour, they were on their way to Starfleet Medical, Trip calling ahead that they were on their way. Trip had been surprised when Natalie had informed him some time before that she wanted to have the baby at Starfleet. After all she could afford to go to any hospital she wanted. But she said she was the wife of a Starfleet officer and that's were she belonged. Not only that, she had asked that Phlox deliver the baby. He of course had been honored.

When they arrived at the center, Phlox was waiting for them. Flashing his creepy smile, he watched as she was ushered in. After he had seen that Natalie was all checked in and Phlox was with her, Trip contacted Travis and Hoshi, who told him they would call the others. Trip also called Lester Warren who said he would arrange to pickup Trip's parents and get there as soon as they could.

Within an hour the entire bridge crew was there. Phlox informed them it could be a while. As the morning wore on, other prospective parents began to arrive. Despite Archer's objections, Starfleet security had placed two men in the delivery room. The new arrivals seemed to have no problem with it however, excited to be with their heroes. Outside, reporters and photographers continued their vigil.

It was 0900 when Trip emerged with a huge smile on his face and announced that his son had just been delivered. As they went over to congratulate him, the other people in the room stood and cheered.

Trip led them back to a room where they could wait for Natalie and the baby. They were joined by Phlox who was smiling broadly.

Then Natalie came in and everyone gathered around as she received hugs from everyone except T'Pol, who did offer her congratulations.

Then the baby was brought in and everyone's attention turned to him. Trip and Natalie introduced him as Charlie Blake Tucker. The Charlie was a compromise between Natalie and Trip. Natalie had wanted him to be Charles Tucker IV, but Trip said being a III was bad enough. Blake was Natalie's mother's maiden name.

Then Hoshi asked if she could hold him. As she looked down at him, she decided it was probably good they were going to ship out because she suddenly thought she would like to be a mother herself.

Then Natalie asked T'Pol if she would like to hold him. To everyone's surprise, T'Pol immediately said yes. As she took him and held him tenderly, Natalie smiled and thought that apparently some things were true for all species. Then she happened to look over at Jonathan. She almost gasped as she saw the look on his face as he watched T'Pol. In that moment Natalie knew that he loved her, the look was one of adoration. Exchanging a glance with Hoshi, she saw Hoshi had seen it as well.

Natalie wondered if T'Pol knew how Archer felt, of how she felt toward him. Did she love him? Was she capable of loving him?

Phlox then stepped in and said Natalie needed to rest. Everyone congratulated the new parents again and left, saying they would check back before the launch.

Avoiding the press by staying within Starfleet grounds, Archer and T'Pol walked together back toward the shuttle that would take them back to _Enterprise_. They had been living on the ship for the last couple weeks, preparing for the launch. Several others including Malcolm were doing the same.

Both were quiet as they walked lost in their own thoughts.

Archer was thinking how he had felt when T'Pol was holding Charlie. It was similar to what he had experienced when they had visited Mercy, but even more intense. Archer had not thought of himself being a father since Margaret Mullin had turned him down. He had come to believe she was right and that he was married to Starfleet. Even when he realized he loved T'Pol, he had apparently still denied that as a possibility. But seeing her with Charlie had brought forward feelings he had long repressed. But then he wondered, even if I wanted children, is it physically possible? And how about T'Pol, does she want to be a mother?

T'Pol fought to control her emotions. When Natalie had asked her to hold the baby, she felt it would be impolite to refuse. But holding Charlie had evoked emotions she realized she had long denied. When she was younger, she had assumed she would be a mother someday, but with her splitting from Koss and her life on _Enterprise_ , she had put such thoughts behind her. She looked over at Jonathan, who seemed lost in thought. Did he want children? He had never said anything about it in all the years she had known him. Even if they did both want to be parents, would it be possible for them to produce a child? Vulcans and Humans were very different internally with humans being carbon based and Vulcans iron.

They both then decided to themselves that they would deal with that, as with everything else, after the war. But both thought they might raise the compatibility issue with Phlox.

Two days before the launch, Satak arrived on Earth. He was one of the Vulcans along with V'Las that were involved with Farrak on Vulcan. When an opportunity arose for him to work temporarily on Earth, he saw it as an opportunity to see this race that had earned an attack from the Empire for himself. He also wondered if it would be possible to perhaps determine if there were any factions on Earth that could be exploited for the cause. He knew of the coming launch of course and while it was of importance on Vulcan, he was amazed by the emotional outburst it elicited among the humans. In a short time, he also was struck by the amazing passion that was felt for Jonathan Archer. Even on Vulcan, many felt he was the reason T'Pau had finally decided to become involved.

Aboard the cloaked ship _Tragon_ , Tribune Haun watched the preparation for the launch of the Allied Fleet. The other planets were being watched as well. They had decided they would follow the fleet to its destination and then proceed to get within contact distance of Romulus to report what they had seen and receive new orders.

Trang was determined this time to stand firm. He had given in to Helena's attacks on tradition before, but this was going too far. Gathering himself, he watched her enter his office.

"Good morning, General Trang."

"Good morning, Helena, will you please be seated?"

As she sat gracefully down, Trang had to steel himself. He knew he had allowed himself to become attached to her when she had been a child. He needed to rid himself of those feelings of having acted as her Father.

She opened the conversation, "Have you set a time for our fleet to leave to join the others?"

"Yes, we will be leaving two days from now at eight o'clock in the morning. It should take 67 hours to reach the launch site."

"Good. I understand you will be traveling aboard the _Louron_?"

"Yes, I will go to the site with General Shran and return aboard the _Vestor_."

"Which ship would you prefer I use? I need to be sure my quarters will be prepared."

Trang had to struggle not to explode. She was just ignoring the stand he had taken. Well, it wasn't going to work. He was sure this time he would have the people of Andoria behind him. And even if he didn't, it was his duty to protect her and there was just too much risk.

Taking a deep breath, he glared at her and said, "We have discussed this, and you know where I stand. No Queen of Andoria has ever left the planet and you will not be the first. This time there is no debate. This is more than a tradition, it goes to he heart of being the Queen." He continued to glare at her, knowing he would need to be prepared for her attempting to change his mind. Her reaction stunned him.

She rose to her feet, her eyes flashing and showing anger for the first time, "How dare you speak to me like that. I am Helena, Queen of Andoria. We are about to send our finest soldiers into battle. We are embarking on a struggle for our very future, for the lives of our children and their children. You would deny me the right to show my resolve, to show my support for our troops, to show that I stand with the Alliance?"

She then sat back down and her demeanor changed completely, quietly she said, "Trang, do not deny me this. These are my people, my subjects."

Then she smiled, "Besides, I have heard you say many times that to be on an Andorian ship is to be on Andorian soil."

Trang sat there completely shocked. He tried to reach back, to regain his resolve, but he knew he was lost. But there were still the Andorian People, maybe this time she had gone too far.

Two days later, a huge crowd watched and cheered as the soldiers of Andoria boarded their ships. But nothing matched the cheers as Queen Helena arrived to board the _Vestor_. Helena had allowed Trang to insist she spend her time on only one ship.

"Long live the Queen, long live the Imperial Guard," the chant continued until the Queen was out of sight and the Andorian fleet moved out of orbit.

On The Teller, the scene was familiar as the soldiers boarded their ships. But under the surface, many Tellerites still wondered if how their fleet would fare. Planet pride or not, they knew their ships were not the equal of the others and hoped they would uphold Tellerite honor.

Gral felt no such trepidation as his flagship proudly led the fleet out of orbit.

A few days before the launch of the Vulcan fleet, Minister Kuvack was sitting with the Fleet commander, finishing up plans for the launch and arranging for the Minister's presence on the ship. They were surprised when the door opened and Minister T'Pau entered.

Kuvack spoke first, "Minister, it is satisfactory to see you, but we were not expecting you."

T'Pau sat down across from him, "You were not expecting me at a meeting to discuss the launch of the Vulcan fleet?"

"We were just discussing the small matters of my quarters on the ship and the time I would arrive. We did not believe they would be of interest to you."

T'Pau arched her eyebrows, "And what of my arrangements? Surely your plans are contingent upon mine."

Now the two could not completely hide their surprise, Kuvack stammered a little, "Your plans?"

"Of course. I do not know what you think you have decided, but I will need lodging aboard the _Charon_. I will transfer to the _Satara_ for the return trip."

Fighting to recover, Kuvack went on, "You are planning to go? But you said you would never…."

"Never leave Vulcan? I never imagined we would be in this situation. Did you believe I would not be there when our soldiers go to war? That I would not be there to show my support?"

Kuvack, finally regaining some control, "Of course not, Minister. Do you wish for me to remain on Vulcan?"

"No, I believe we should both be there, but I would have you stay aboard the _Satara_."

Then, smiling inwardly, she turned to the Fleet Commander, "Besides, have not you always said that to be aboard a Vulcan ship is to be on Vulcan soil?"

A few days later, with T'Pau aboard, the Vulcan Fleet left orbit.

On Earth, the passions and large support became a moment of serious contemplation as the troops boarded their ships. Suddenly the three ships seemed to be a small force against what awaited them. But there was no lessening of their feeling of pride.

Trip and Natalie had decided to stay at home with Charlie and their parents, having said their goodbyes the day before. As Trip saw the ships ready to leave, he knew Natalie had been right. If he was not planning to be with them, he would have regretted it forever. But that didn't mean leaving his wife and son would not be the hardest thing he had ever done.

Jane McBride sat next to Mercy as she was totally engrossed watching the events unfold. As Jane ran her fingers through Mercy's hair, she thought of the results of her daughter's latest medical check. It seemed that Mercy had reached the second stage of the disease; the first being the original diagnosis. One of the parents of an earlier patient, obviously a student of history, had dubbed it the Churchill Stage, based on one of his famous speeches, _It is not the end, or even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning._

Archer looked around the Bridge. Here they were again. He felt a wave of emotion as he thought of how proud he was of all of them. How they had come together, how they had overcome so much. He smiled as he thought of his relationship with Malcolm Reed, how they had come to a feeling of mutual respect. And although he had the same respect for Travis and Hoshi, he also had an affection for them. He was so happy to see them together. And there was Trip and doctor Phlox. One who had been with him since the beginning and the other, someone who had on many occasions changed and reformed his perceptions.

And then there was T'Pol. The thought he had once dismissed her as just another Vulcan now seemed absurd and petty. Now he couldn't imagine life without her. Even before he knew they loved each other, she had become his best friend and his right hand.

He decided he had no speeches, there was really nothing he needed to say, nothing they needed to hear.

"Hoshi, tell the others we're ready to leave."

"Travis, take her out, one quarter impulse."

The Earth fleet left orbit.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N Well, what can I say. I couldn't believe how long it had been since I updated. The summer just flew by. Based on my past history, I will not make any promises but will hopefully never have such a long time between chapters again.**

 **I want to thank LoErneBraska for the review. I also received PM's from ShanRQuinn and Mojo01. I really do appreciate your input.**

The Andorian fleet was the first to arrive. Although Helena had agreed stay aboard the _Vester_ , Thrang could not argue with her when she pointed out she should be with him and Shran aboard the flagship.

Within the next few hours all of the other fleets took their place. The over two hundred ships from the four planets was indeed an impressive sight. But with the pride came the realization of what they faced and that many of them would be casualties of what was coming.

President Samuels spoke first from the bridge of the _Intrepid_ , his image showing on all ships of the fleet.

"It is impossible for me to put into words the emotions I feel as I view this armada. That planets that were once enemies have come together in a common cause. I know that the path ahead is not ordained, that we do not know what the future holds, but I cannot believe that the effort that has been put forth to enable us to reach where we are now will be in vain. For this fleet is a symbol of the resolve of the inhabitants of all four planets. With their support and their belief in our struggle, we cannot fail."

"We have come out here to show our support for this effort. To proudly sent you on your journey. It is good that we do this. But, in the end, it is your courage and fortitude that will determine the outcome."

"May whatever providence that guides our path, be with you on your journey."

"Know that the thoughts and hopes of the peoples of the Alliance go with you."

After a few moments, the scene changed to the bridge of the Andorian flagship where Shran stood with Thrang and Queen Helena.

The Queen began, "I am Queen Helena of Andoria. While I will not bore you with ancient history, I do want to say that I am the first Queen of Andoria to ever leave the planet. I did not make this decision lightly. But in the end, I knew I needed to be here, to show my support for the soldiers not just from Andoria but all those who are ready to set forth on this perilous undertaking. Although I claim no great prescience, I strongly believe that this is the beginning of an epic journey that will lead to a new beginning, a new renaissance."

Then Thrang spoke, "I am not an orator or a statesman, but a soldier. I know you will all do your duty and make your peoples proud."

"Long live the Imperial Guard, Long live the Queen, Victory to the Alliance!"

Then, in a moment that could have even been considered humorous if not for the gravity of the situation, the scene changed from that cheer to the bridge of the _Charon_ , where T'Pau stood regally in her Vulcan robes, stoic and somber.

T'Pau had been struck by the fact that like her, the Queen of Andoria had ventured for the first time from the soil of her planet. She was reminded how there were common forms of reference among peoples that were so different. She had been a little stunned by Thrang's military chants but had recovered before the spotlight turned to her.

"Many of you know that I was against Vulcan joining the Alliance. But I have become convinced it is vital to the continued freedom of all the planets involved. I admit that I have long been an advocate against war, feeling that other solutions are possible. But I now strongly believe that the nature of our enemy precludes any action but our need for self-preservation. Now that the conflict is at hand, there can be only one result, victory for the Alliance. I strongly believe that we will prevail. I have been inspired by the strength and resolve of not only the people of Vulcan but of all the planets."

The scene then changed to the Tellerite ship and surprisingly it was Gral who spoke. "I have spent my life as both a soldier and a diplomat. I have fought many battles against the Andorians. I have long considered them my mortal enemies. In my first encounter with the humans and Admiral Archer, I distrusted them as well. But time and events have shown me that as different as we are, even with the walls we have built to keep us apart, we also have much in common. We all desire the same goals. To live in peace, to retain our freedom, to live our lives as we see fit."

"These men, who I once detested and distrusted are now my friends. I would and am entrusting them with my life. If an old cantankerous solider like me can change so much, I have no doubt anyone can. I was struck by what the Queen said. Like her, I believe this is not just a means to an end, to win a war, but the beginning of something greater."

The scene then shifted to the Bridge of Enterprise, where Archer stood next to T'Pol. Archer shook his head and smiled ruefully. "I am expected to follow that? I am sure I speak for all of us in the fleet when I find it impossible to express my awe and admiration of what I have heard. I also know that every man and woman who serves on this fleet are determined to do what it takes to achieve our goal. We all know what is at stake. It saddens me to know that many of us will not return. But I know that no leader has ever been so blessed with such a dedicated and resolute group of soldiers. With your backing and our belief in the rightness of our cause, we will prevail. To you with us here and to all the peoples of the Alliance we pledge our lives and honor."

With that the scene changed to an overall view of the fleet. Queen Helena and Thrang talked briefly with Shran and then returned to the _Vester_.

T'Pau and Minister Kuvack spent some time with Captain Sopek and Soval, before they returned to the _Sarata_.

After some last discussions between the War Committee and the War Council, Archer gave the order for the fleet to go to Warp. Suddenly there were flashes of light and the fleet was gone.

The remaining four ships then also went to warp heading for their home planets.

Although the _Vester_ was equipped with one of the detectors and nothing was showing on any sensors, Thrang did not relax until the ship reached Andoria and the Queen was safely back on Andorian soil.

A few days later on Earth, after the _Intrepid_ had returned, Trip came out of the bedroom ready to head out to monitor the progress of the two new Earth ships. He stopped and was overwhelmed with emotion when he saw Natalie breast feeding Charlie. It was such a beautiful sight. God, he loved them both so much.

Natalie looked up and smiled. He walked over and gave her a tender kiss on the mouth. Natalie then said, "Turn on the TV, they are going to show the shots of the fleet leaving this morning."

Trip looked at his watch, then shrugged and decided they would wait for him. He walked over and turned it on.

They sat quietly and watched through the speeches, but none of them had the same impact as they felt when they saw the fleet go to warp. Suddenly, it was very real. The fleet was gone, who knew under what circumstances would it return. How many deaths would there be before it was over. It also made them realize that Trip would soon be joining them. As Natalie finished with Charlie, she put him down and they just held each other, until Trip left for work.

Mercy and Jane McBride had also watched. Mercy had written letters to T'Pol but they had been told they would not be delivered until the fleet was deployed. They both just sat there quietly for some time after the show was done, then returned to what they had been doing.

Trip's shuttle docked with one of the two new ships that were advancing faster than expected, they would be ready for testing in just a few days. Entering the _Admiral Forrest_ , he was met by Captain Howard Stenson. "Welcome aboard, Trip."

"Thanks, Captain, is Commander Baxter on board?"

"Yeah, she's down in Engineering. She tells me we're close to being able to start testing."

As Trip headed toward Engineering, "I was thinking probably by the end of the week."

Trip entered Engineering and was met by the ship's Chief Engineer, commander Rebecca Baxter. If anyone personified Tomboy, it was her. Her hair was cut short and Trip had never seen her in anything but jeans or her uniform. She was thin and plain looking, but in what really mattered, she knew her stuff and Trip enjoyed working with her.

"Hey, Rebecca, how's it looking this morning?"

Rebecca smirked, "Well, Commander, glad to see you, had a little trouble getting out of bed this morning?"

"If you must know, I watched the fleet launch."

Rebecca sobered up. "Yeah, I watched it with most of the crew. They had it set up in the mess hall."

She looked at him, "Sure made it real. Hard to believe we'll be joining them soon."

Trip nodded and then asked, "Have you located the problem with the manifolds yet?"

"No, but I think I've isolated where it's at. Here, let me show you."

Soon they were busy at work.

Thirty-eight days after leaving Earth, the Alliance Fleet arrived at its planned destination. They arranged themselves with the Tellerites to the right, the Andorians and Humans in the middle and the Vulcans to the left. The four flagships were placed to the rear.

One of the first orders of business was to call a meeting of the War Council. They met in the conference room of the _Charon_.

Archer sat at the head of the Table with T'Pol to his left. Soval, and Captain Sopek were to her left. Shran sat at the other end of the table with Brahn, Gral, and Frag across from the Vulcans.

Archer was the first to speak. We have several things we need to cover but I want to establish something right away. Before I do, however, are the translators working?"

Gral spoke up, "I think that everyone present is sufficiently fluent in English. Isn't that correct? With everyone agreeing, it made everything easier.

Archer continued, "That should facilitate matters. Now, what I wanted to cover is that in this room during these meetings, we are all basically equal. I want a complete and honest discussion. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings or anyone holding back information or questions because they are afraid of any repercussions. Also, there is no chain of command for the top four members of this council except me. Gral, Shran, and Soval are to be considered of equal rank. But all of them report to me. Outside this room, I am in command and my orders are to be obeyed. Does anyone have a problem with any of this?"

It seemed like both Gral and Shran wanted to say something but remained silent.

Archer went on, "I wanted some help on how we should handle the Earth Fleet. With only two current ships and even with the plans to rapidly expand that, it will some time before we have a significant number of ships. I was hoping to put Captain Hernandez in charge of the fleet but that seems pointless until and when the fleet grows. Does anyone have any suggestions on how we could handle it?"

Gral spoke up, "The most obvious solution would be to roll them into one of the other fleets, perhaps the Vulcans?"

Before Archer could comment, Shran interjected, "I think we should try to have them retain their identity. They are a part of the Alliance. I would be willing to have say thirty Andorian ships added to the two Earth ships and put them under Captain Hernandez's command."

It was difficult for Archer to hide his surprise and he noticed many of the others were not making any attempt to do so. He asked Shran, "Your Captains would have no problem taking orders from an Earth Commander?"

Shran smirked, "Isn't that what we are all doing already?" Then he went on more seriously. "We all know the Earth presence will grow. I think we should already have a fleet for them to join. I do not think it would be best to keep adding them to another fleet."

Soval broke in, "That does seem logical. I have no objection to adopting General Shran's suggestion."

Archer said, "It certainly is more than acceptable to me. Gral?"

"If Shran has no problem with it, I certainly do not."

Archer continued, "That's all I have for now, anyone else have anything?"

When no one volunteered anything, the meeting was adjourned and everyone returned to their duties. For now, there seemed to be nothing to do but wait.

The work on the two starships went even faster than Rebecca and Trip had forecast and soon they were declared fit for service. All crew members were given a week off to put things in order and say goodbye.

Trip and Natalie spent all the time together with visits from Lester, Trip's parents and Dave and Ellen. Finally, it was the night before and Trip and Natalie made love and then sat up and talked. Trip had never dreaded anything more than him leaving the next day. But nothing had changed, he and Natalie both knew he had to go. They said their goodbyes at home with Natalie assuring him she would be all right. That she had the support of both hers and his families.

Twelve hours later, Natalie cried softly into her father's arms as the news showed the _Geneva_ and the _Admiral Forrest_ leaving to join the fleet.

Solon looked around the Palace Conference Room. It was felt to be the one place on Romulus that would have fit in perfectly on Vulcan. While the rest of the Palace had been renovated many times, this room was basically still the same as the day the Palace was built. Oh, new technology had been made available but did not affect the overall look.

He looked around at the others at the table. Torok was to his right, with Kernot the head of the Senate Committee on Military affairs next to him. Sitting across from Solon was Senator Notal, the head of the Senate with his chief assistant next to him. They were all waiting for Vandor to arrive.

Just then Vandor entered and took his place at the head of the table. As well and as long as Solon had known him he was still taken about how Vandor was able to immediately dominate a room.

Vandor smiled and started, "Good morning, Gentlemen. Glad to see you are all here. We have a lot to cover."

"Two days ago I received messages from the four ships that have been monitoring the planets of the Alliance. They informed me that the Alliance Fleet has been formed and has been deployed. From all we know, they have committed almost all of their resources to this fleet as far as Warp 5 or faster ships.

He hit a button and information was displayed on the screen behind him. "This is the breakdown of the fleet. As you can see, it is made up primarily of Andorian and Tellerite ships, with just forty-eight Vulcan ships. Earth is represented by only three ships including Enterprise."

"From my and others presentations to the Senate, explaining my reasons for launching the attack on Earth, you know my belief that the creation of this Alliance is due to a large part because of the actions of four men and one woman."

"It should therefore not become a surprise that they are an integral part of this fleet. Newly promoted General Shran is the leader of the Andorian Fleet, Viscount Gral the Tellerite Fleet and Ambassador Soval the Vulcan Fleet. For those who have absorbed what I have been trying to convey, you would expect that Archer and T'Pol would have a large role. Well, newly promoted Admiral Archer is the Supreme Commander of the Fleet and the newly promoted Captain T'Pol is in her normal position, at his side."

Notal spoke up, "I still do not understand why they would choose Archer to lead when Earth has only provided three ships."

Vandor shook his head, "You apparently have not absorbed what I have been trying to tell you, Archer is the rock upon which the Alliance is built. It is not a coincidence that in the years since Enterprise was launched, the situation in the Quadrant has changed dramatically. Fate, or whatever name you wish to ascribe to it, has so far chosen him to be the catalyst."

"But now, his luck has run out. We will see to that. His fleet is fatally flawed with the weakness of the Tellerites. I also believe that as they suffer losses, the Alliance will break apart. Each will blame the other. You do not undo decades, even centuries of animosity in such a short time. As the Vulcans and Andorians come to realize they are fighting this war alone, they will work to save themselves."

"But we must strike swiftly. Our reports show that the Earth is making a huge effort to create a Fleet of much improved ships. _Enterprise_ has already been upgraded."

Torok broke in, "Where is this Fleet? Do we know what their plans are?"

Vandor answered, "It is located about half way between Earth and Romulus. I believe they plan to battle us by giving ground grudgingly, to have room to attempt to nip at our attacking vessels."

Notal contributed, "Would it not be better to just go around them and attack the home planets, bringing them to us?"

Vandor nodded, "That is certainly a possibility and is why I have called you all here today, to determine our best course of action and to decide who should lead our fleet."

Solon interjected, "What about the size of the fleet, should it be larger?"

Vardon answered, "Perhaps, but with the current situation in the Empire, I feel this should be more than enough. As I have said, with the Tellerites, they are much weaker than the two hundred ships suggest. Then of course, with our advantage of cloaking, our fleet numbers are enhanced."

Kernot spoke back up, "Although I see some merit in what my colleague has said, in the end victory will come when we destroy their fleet. There is also the point that attacking the home worlds could serve to strengthen their resolve."

Vandor nodded and said, "There is also the fact that the planets each do have defenses which could weaken our fleet before we met theirs."

Torok summed it up, "So with what both of you have just said, plus the need to act swiftly, I would propose we deploy a fleet of two hundred ships as soon as possible and engage their fleet."

Vandor continued, "Do we agree on this, does anyone still have any objections or another idea?"

When no one spoke, he went on, "Very well. Now who should command it?"

Solon spoke first, "With all that is on the line, should we not use our best? I would suggest Venter."

Vandor answered, "What you say is correct, but I hesitate to remove him from his current situation and risk having the Western District explode again. What do the rest of you think?"

Torok went next, "While I understand Solon's position, I must agree with the Praetor, it is just too risky with the current status of the Empire."

Ketnor then said, "What about Admiral Valdore?"

Everyone looked quizzically at him. Finally, Torok spoke, "It has been some time since he commanded a fleet and is currently in exile for his actions with the drones."

Vandor ran his fingers through his hair and said, "That is true, but he was an excellent commander before he was 'promoted' to work on projects. There is also the fact that he has a personal interest in destroying _Enterprise_ and Archer. Although I had not thought of him, I like the choice. Another point in his favor is that we will not be pulling someone from a vital job. Does anyone have any objections or other suggestions?"

Although each of the others seemed on the edge of saying something, no one objected.

As the Romulans finished up their plans and began to make preparations for the attack, Commander Charles Tucker III, aboard the _Admiral Forrest_ , accompanied by the _Geneva_ , reported to the fleet for duty.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N I still don't own anything. I want to thank AnonymCzZ for the review. I am planning to make a real effort to get chapters out faster. I also want to remind you that I welcome input whether it be bad or good.**

The entire bridge crew and Phlox were waiting when the door opened and Trip stepped on to _Enterprise_. Archer moved forward and stuck out his hand which Trip gripped as he said, "Welcome aboard. It is good to see you again, but part of me still wishes you were with your family on Earth."

"I understand, Sir, and feel the same way. But now that I am here, let's get this done."

He then exchanged a hug from Hoshi and a hand on his shoulder from Malcolm. He shook hands with Travis and Phlox and then turned to T'Pol.

She said, "It is agreeable to see you again."

Trip nodded, smiled, and said, "I've missed you all."

Then he turned to Archer, "Okay, I want to get to work. Assume Amanda is in Engineering."

Archer looked a little nonplussed and said, "Lieutenant Hess is no longer aboard _Enterprise_."

Seeing that Trip was about to comment, he hurried on. "As you would surmise, with the plans for the growth of the Fleet, there will be a need for Chief Engineers aboard the ships. Starfleet requested that experienced engineers serving on Starships be transferred to Earth to aid in teaching new recruits. Lieutenant Hess was among those to be considered." He then smiled, "She quickly made it clear that there was no way she was going to return to Earth. In the end, we were able to reach a compromise. Commander Randall aboard _Columbia_ agreed to return to Earth and we were able to replace him with Hess. She was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and is now the Chief Engineer aboard _Columbia_."

Trip smiled, "I'm going to miss her help, but glad for her. She certainly deserves it." After a moment, he continued, "So who's been filling in for me?"

Archer answered, "Ensign Kathy Reynolds. She's just out of the Academy, but she seems to have a lot on the ball and has done a good job. She'll be mighty glad to see you."

Archer turned to one of crewman standing by, "Jacobs, take Commander Tucker's bag to his quarters."

Jacobs quickly answered, "Yes, sir," and move forward to take the bag.

Archer then said to Trip, "After you talk with Ensign Reynolds and get settled in, why don't you meet T'Pol and me for supper, say 1900 hours."

Trip smiled, "I'd like that."

As Trip headed for Engineering, Archer turned to the others, "Well, I suppose we better get back to work."

Upon reaching the Bridge, he had Hoshi contact the two new ships. After welcoming them, he told them that they needed to contact Captain Hernandez and she would fill them in. After signing off, he commented, "It's amazing to have two new Starships; especially when it is just the beginning." Then he smiled sadly and said, "I wish Admiral Forrest could see this. It is good though to have him recognized by naming a ship after him."

Tucker made his way to Engineering. When he entered, he saw a young woman who looked extremely bedraggled. Her uniform and face were covered with grime and he could barely make out her single bar. She was struggling with one of the reactor access covers as other members of the Engineering crew looked on. Cleaned up, she would probably be considered pretty. Then one of the onlookers looked up and saw him but Trip signaled him to be quiet. He then came up behind her, "When they stick, you need to push forward and pull up."

Irritated, the woman turned and started to say, "If you know so damn much, then why…," Upon seeing Tucker, she turned a bright shade of red and looked down at herself. She tried to wipe her face, but just made it worse.

"Commander Tucker, I…" She stuttered. Trip took pity on her and smiled. "It's okay, Ensign, I've spent a lot of time cursing at them myself." He then moved forward and quickly got the cover off. Then seeing the others were struggling not to laugh, he said sternly, "Okay, I'm sure you can all find something to do. I'll be around to say hello and get acquainted with those of you that are new, but for now, I need to talk with Ensign Reynolds."

They all quickly moved off and made themselves busy.

Kathy was still trying to clean herself up. Trip smiled, "Don't worry about it. I must say I would rather have someone who is willing to get dirty then someone who stays away from the grunt work. But I might have to speak to some of the old hands, they should know the same trick I do."

Kathy spoke up, "Don't do that. Some of them offered but I wanted to do it myself."

Then she suddenly seemed to realize who she was talking to. She straightened up. "Commander Tucker, as acting officer in charge of Engineering, I now relinquish control to you."

Then she got a little nonplussed again, and said, "It is such an honor to meet you. You have been a hero of mine for a long time."

Tucker sighed, "That's nice, but let's get one thing straight. In Engineering, the only thing that matters is getting the job done. Outside, around officers and other members of the crew, when on duty, you need to address me as Commander Tucker, but in here, I'm just Trip." Then he got serious and said, "That doesn't mean you don't need to know who is in charge. Is that clear."

"Of course, Command…, Trip."

Then he smiled, "Okay, now why don't you show me why you needed this cover off and then maybe you should clean up a little and bring me up to speed."

After she told him the problem she had been trying to correct, Trip sent her off to get cleaned up and fixed the problem. Then they sat down in what passed for an office and she told him where they were at. For the most part, Trip was impressed. She clearly knew her stuff and now that she had settled down, seemed to be a good officer. But her lack of experience had caused her to neglect many items that needed to be done and maintained. He was also surprised how few of his old crew remained. Kathy explained many had opted to join Hess on _Columbia_.

They called the crew together and began the process of getting everyone on board on what was needed to be done and what was expected of them.

As the time for their shift ended, Trip told her that she had done a good job in his absence, and he was looking forward to working with her. Then, he said that he was going to have supper with the Captain and Admiral, but wanted to get together in a social setting so they could get to know each other better. He suggested they have lunch the next day in the Captain's mess. He was sure it would be all right with T'Pol.

She quickly agreed and they said their goodnights.

Archer and T'Pol were waiting when Trip joined them for supper. All were dressed casually with T'Pol in her Vulcan robes. After having Trip bring them up to speed on Natalie and Charlie, they discussed the two new ships. Then Trip asked about what was happening with the war.

Archer said ruefully, "Unfortunately, nothing. It is frustrating to not be able to take the war to them. We just have to sit and wait. But I suppose we should be happy for the time because we will only get stronger." He did tell Trip though that according to the spy outposts, it appeared the Romulans were in the process of preparing a fleet for an attack.

Torok stood in a slight drizzle as he watched the Shuttle come to a rest on the pad inside the palace grounds. As he saw Valdore alight from the Shuttle he moved forward to greet him. Valdore also saw him and moved toward him. Torok began, "Welcome back."

"It is good to be back. I assumed I would spend the rest of my life on that accursed planet." He continued after a moment, "Sometimes I thought Vrax had got the better of the deal."

Torok motioned for him to go ahead and they walked off the pad. Valdore spoke again, "Well, Torok, I understand there have been many changes since I left."

"What have you been told?"

"Just that there is a new Praetor and he wanted me for a special mission. That momentous events are taking place."

"That is an understatement but I will let the Praetor tell you himself."

As they entered the Palace itself, Valdore noticed the different atmosphere. The crowds of favor-seekers were gone. Instead there seemed an air of competence, of order.

Torok led him down a hallway to an area containing security guards. The guards themselves were different, men dressed in black and giving off a menacing aura.

Torok whispered to him, "They are Solon's men."

Valdore looked at him strangely, "Solon is dead."

"You were shut off, weren't you? No, he is alive and the main reason the Praetor is where he is today."

They were quickly scanned and then allowed to enter the door behind the station. As they entered, Valdore saw a tall handsome man seated behind a desk and standing near the desk, a forbidding figure dressed in black. The man behind the desk spoke first. "Ah, Valdore, welcome back to civilization, we have been looking forward to your arrival. Have you ever had the pleasure of meeting my friend? Valdore, this is First Citizen Solon."

Solon nodded as Valdore numbly nodded back.

Vandor continued, "All right, enough pleasantries. I am sure you are wondering what this is all about. Perhaps you even think I have brought you back to finish what my predecessor didn't, put you to death."

Seeing the look on Valdore face, Vardon smiled and said, "Have a seat."

As he sat down, he noticed Torok and Solon did the same.

"Now let me catch you up on what has happened." Valdore told him the saga that had led them to the current situation, including his original logic in launching the attack on Earth. As he finished, he looked squarely at Valdore and asked, "Well, what do you think?" Sensing Valdore's trepidation, he assured him that no harm would come to him and there would be no repercussions for what he said.

Valdore wasn't sure he could trust him, but decided to be honest. "I completely agree with the logic that led you to attack Earth. In our attempt to disrupt the Quadrant, we came to the same conclusion." He hesitated but then decided to go ahead. "But I think you erred in attacking Earth, at least as a first step. You should have gone directly after Archer and the others. Archer is the catalyst for all that has happened. If you had taken him out, I believe the impetus for an Alliance would have collapsed. But perhaps in was inevitable that we would be where we are. I do agree that now is our best chance. That in the future, the task would be more difficult."

The Praetor had been listening intently. When Valdore finished, he smiled and smacked his desk, "Well said. It appears we have made the right choice."

Again looking into Valdore's eyes, he said, "We are preparing a fleet of two hundred ships to crush the rebellion and finish off Archer once and for all. We called you back here because we want you to take command of that fleet."

Valdore was stunned. This was beyond his wildest dreams. To be back in command. To finally take his revenge against the man that shamed him.

He noticed the Praetor looking at him and realized he was waiting for him to answer. He quickly said, "I am honored. I gratefully accept the opportunity to serve the Empire. Nothing would please me more than to destroy Archer."

The Praetor sat back, satisfied. He then gestured to Torok, "Torok will give you all the information we have on the make-up of their fleet and where they are located. You will also meet with your staff to work with Torok on a battle plan. Your assignment is clear. Destroy the Alliance Fleet and either kill or capture Jonathan Archer." As everyone started to rise, he smirked and added, "If it is all possible, I would hope you could bring Captain T'Pol to me."

Valdore looked inquisitively at the others. Torok just said, "I will explain." They then filed out.

Months later, Valdore sat in his command chair aboard his flagship. As the image of the Praetor appeared on his viewing screen everyone stood at attention.

"All of the Empire stands behind you. With the support of the Elements, this will be the first decisive step in recovering our heritage. Do not return until Archer is dead and the Alliance fleet is destroyed."

As the visage faded, Valdore returned to his seat. Turning to his communication officer, he told him, "Tell the fleet to proceed, full impulse."

From his office Vandor watched as the powerful fleet moved out of orbit and disappeared into the distance.

Kathy and Trip met as planned for lunch the next day. After the food had been delivered and the waiter had departed, Trip spoke first, "Well, Kathy, tell me a little about yourself."

"Well, I was born in a small town in Nebraska and grew up on a farm. I obtained an Engineering degree from Georgia Tech and then decided to take a shot at being accepted at Starfleet Academy. A little to my surprise, I got in. Of course, I never imagined I would be assigned aboard _Enterprise_ , especially as acting commander of Engineering. To tell you the truth, I was scared to death, but just decided to do my job. I think I did OK but I am glad you are back. I really don't want the job when the real action starts."

Trip smiled, "You've told me the facts, but you left some out. You were the Valedictorian at Georgia Tech, even though you finished in less than three years. There was never any doubt you would be accepted at the Academy, in fact they recruited you. Don't be afraid to toot your own horn."

Smiling, he went on, "Now tell me about your personal life. I promise I won't blindside you. I just looked at your official record."

"Well, I have been married for three years. We don't have any children but hope to when I return. I live in a house in San Francisco. That's about it."

"What does your husband do?"

Kathy was about to answer when she smiled to herself. Trip had been a smartass by asking her about her record when he knew very well what was in it. She decided she was going to mess a little with him. She knew she was taking a chance, after all, he was her Commanding Officer, but for some reason, she felt he would be a good sport about it. She spoke up, "Works at the Library, doing research for USF."

She went on, "Of course, I know everything about you and your family."

She then purposely hesitated before saying, "I wasn't lying before, you have long been a hero of mine." She then lowered her voice and said, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I used to fantasize about us."

Trip was stunned and stammered, "That's interesting. We should probably finish up here, we're neglecting Chef's meal."

She smiled and went on, "You don't need to worry. I found out that there are things about you that made me decide you weren't for me."

Trip was glad she felt that, he had been nervous about where the conversation was going, but now his male ego stepped in. "Not that I am interested, but just what things would that be?"

Kathy smirked to herself, "Well, you have one thing that really turns me off and two things that are woefully inadequate."

Trip was getting a little angry now. "You don't think you can just say that and get away with it. You don't even know me; how can you say I am inadequate."

Kathy decided she had gone far enough. She smiled and said, "Relax, Trip, I was just giving you a hard time. I am sure most other women would be deeply impressed by the things that turn me off. Although I can't address the one I am not interested in, I have seen pictures of you without a shirt and you are certainly not inadequate."

Trip was puzzled, "My shirt?"

Kathy laughed and said, "I'm gay, Trip. I have a wife."

As Trip realized what she had been referring to he smiled in spite of himself and then blushed a little. "So, the two were…," indicating his chest "And the other was…"

He smirked and said, "I can assure you; if you were interested, you would be quite impressed."

Now it was Kathy's turn to blush.

They both laughed and finished the meal in a comfortable silence.

Archer and T'Pol found that it was difficult to live up their agreement to stay away from each other. Although they did not want to risk visiting each other's cabins at odd hours, they decided they would be safe in the Captain's mess as they had often given orders in the past to be left alone to discuss ship's business. After locking the door, they would embrace and kiss each other. Although they both wanted to do more, they each were afraid they would not be able to stop. T'Pol was amazed how wonderful it was to be held and for all her Vulcan strength, enjoyed the feeling of vulnerability. For his part Archer was thrilled by her wanting to be held and the feeling of her body against his.

Travis and Hoshi spent most of each night together. They knew they weren't fooling anyone by not living together, but they wanted to give Archer the out of being able to say he didn't realize what they were doing. Although they felt that because they were the same rank they were okay, they didn't want to force Archer or T'Pol into a difficult position.

The Alliance was still struggling to determine a method for loved ones to communicate with the fleet. The communication line was needed for contact between the Committee and the Council and was not conducive to conveying the huge number of personal messages that would be wanted. In the end they set up one day a month to pass letters back and forth.

T'Pol was surprised to learn she had a letter from Mercy. Alone in her quarters she was amused and pleased to read the letter.

 _Dear T'Pol,_

 _This is so cool. If you don't want to write me back, I understand, I know you are busy. Mommy took me to the zoo in San Diego. I really enjoyed the Pandas. Did you know they are not bears? I thought Mommy was kidding me, but I looked It up when we got home. But do you know what's really cool? The zoo is going to get animals from the other planets. It will be something called a Sehlat from Vulcan. It looked scary in the picture but they said it would be the kind that is kept for pets. Mommy promised we could go back when it gets there. We are studying the other planets in school. Everyone was jealous when I told them I was on Enterprise except some didn't believe me. Mommy says Hi and she wants you to tell Admiral Archer Hi too. Well, I better go. I will write again soon._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Mercy McBride_

T'Pol smiled to herself. She decided she wanted to share it right away with Jonathon. But then she noticed that there was more information on the bottom. Rolling the screen, she saw that Jane had added some information.

 _I wondered if I should tell you this. I know you have a lot on your mind, but I thought you and Jonathan would want to know. At the last appointment with the Doctor, he informed me that the disease has reached Phase 2. This does not mean that the end is necessarily near, but it just made me realize how old Mercy is. Sometimes I let myself forget. I know I have said all this before, but I will never be able to thank you enough for what you two have done for Mercy._

T'Pol had of course thoroughly researched the Syndrome, and knew what Jane was not telling them. The older the child when they reached Phase 2, the shorter the time to the onset of the fatal stage. T'Pol knew Mercy had celebrated her eleventh birthday about three months before the launch of the fleet.

T'Pol then wrote a short letter back to Mercy.

 _Dear Mercy,_

 _It may interest you to know that I did have a Sehlat for a pet when I was young. Vulcans do not give their pet names, but I spent many hours enjoying his company. Now I have a big secret for you. I cannot tell you directly because only you can know it. If you want to tell your mother, be sure she tells no one else. Do you remember when we were in my quarters on Enterprise and you asked me a question about a couple of members of the crew? Although I answered no to both at that time, one of the answers is now yes. Remember, Mercy, this is a very important secret and you can tell no one else but your mother and do not mention it if you write me again. Admiral Archer said to say Hi to both of you. I want you to know I enjoyed your letter and look forward to hearing from you again._

 _Live Long and Prosper._

 _T'Pol_

Several months later, three more new Earth ships arrived, bringing the Earth fleet to nine. On that same day, the news that they were all hoping for and yet dreading came. All of their intelligence sources agreed that a fleet of two hundred ships had departed from Romulus.

As soon as Valdore was able to go to warp, he cloaked his fleet and they began their month-long journey to engage the Alliance.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N I continue to borrow these characters out of pure enjoyment. My heartfelt thanks to AnonymCzZ and EroSlackerMicha for their reviews and input. I am like Johnny Five in the old movie Short Circuit. I love input! :)**

In the months between Trip's arrival and the news that a Romulan Fleet was apparently in route, Trip and Kathy spent a lot of time together. While their working together and admiration of the others abilities was the original impetus, they soon discovered they helped each other with being away from their loved ones. Kathy told Trip that when they got home, she wanted to come and see him and hold his son.

Trip, Jon, and T'Pol had also got back in the habit of sharing meals together at least three or four times a week. The more time Trip spent with them, he became more and more convinced that something was going on. Hoshi and Natalie had told him about what they had seen when Archer looked at T'Pol holding Charlie. Several times he had thought of approaching Jon and find out if he was right, but realized what a burden Jon was carrying and didn't want to add to it. He finally decided they would tell him if they wanted him to know.

Back home, Mercy was excited to receive T'Pol's letter. At first she was confused about what T'Pol was saying, but with help from her mother, she came to remember what she had discussed in T'Pol's quarters. Both she and her mother were astounded when they realized that T'Pol must mean that either Trip or Jonathan was now T'Pol's boyfriend. Since Trip was married, it was pretty apparent whom she meant. Both were so exited and happy for them, but realized how important it was to keep it a secret. Jane also kept her promise and they went to visit the zoo to see the Sehlat when it arrived. Although even the pet variety looked scary, Mercy steeled herself and petted it. She sent T'Pol a letter telling her about it and also how T'Pol's secret was 'Cool'.

Natalie Warren was surprised and at first slightly troubled when Trip told her in a letter about his new friendship with Kathy Reynolds. She was glad he had found someone to help him cope, but admittedly would have preferred it to be a man. She understood Kathy was Gay, but knew that didn't necessarily mean something couldn't happen. But then she chided herself that she would ever doubt Trip. She wrote back how happy she was and would look forward to having Kathy hold their son when they all came home. As for Natalie, she had found her own peace. She really missed Trip, but consoled herself with how necessary and important a job he was doing. Her father had become increasingly busy and dedicated to getting the Spaceship building program to full capacity; but Trip's family had been wonderful and had visited her often. She sometimes felt they considered her their daughter and came to realize she was helping them with their loss of Elizabeth. Then of course there was Charlie. Her love for him grew every day and she felt herself amazed that she and Trip had produced this precious person.

Mary Robbins was also a little shocked when Kathy notified her about her new-found friendship. She, like Natalie, was glad her spouse had found someone that helped her cope with the stress of them being apart, but found herself a little jealous. She herself had been terribly lonely. Kathy had been her first real love. Three years together seemed like such a short time. She wished that they had gone ahead and had a child instead of deciding to wait until Kathy returned. Then she shook herself and resolved she was going to quit feeling sorry for herself and find someway she could serve.

A few days after hearing about the Romulan Fleet, the War Council met aboard the _Charo_ n.

When everyone was seated in their usual seats, Archer began, "Well, it's apparently finally here. I think we can assume they know where we are and what our fleet consists of." He smiled, "At least maybe we can get rid of that ship that has been observing us."

Gral spoke up, "Do you think they will attack the fleet or go after our planets?"

Shran added, "It really doesn't matter what their intent is. If we locate them, we can bring the battle to them."

Archer answered, "If we do detect them, we have to be careful not to show our hand too soon. We need to tell the Vulcan scout ships to be careful not to give anything away if they do find them. We don't want to mess up our advantage after keeping it a secret all this time."

Soval then spoke for the first time, "I even hesitate to bring this up, but it is something I have been thinking about since the battle with the original fleet. Are we going to give them any warning?" He paused, then added, "If we do not it will be a slaughter. We will be attacking helpless ships."

Gral snorted, "Isn't that the whole idea? Isn't that what we have been planning on?"

Shran interrupted, "While I agree with Gral, I do think we should at least address what Soval said. I don't think of it as helpless ships, but overcoming an enemy advantage. But I must admit, I am not completely comfortable with shooting at ships that can't fight back."

Gral looked at them in amazement. "I don't believe this. This is war. Believe me, they would not have any problems doing the same to us. We have a saying on The Teller, 'Those who wage war invite war to be waged against them.""

Archer smiled ruefully, "Earth has a similar saying, 'He who lives by the sword will die by the sword. Relax, Gral, I am sure Shran and Soval know we will do what we need to do, but that does not mean we take pleasure in doing it."

As Shran and Soval nodded their agreement, he continued, "Now, I would like some opinions as to how you think the Romulans will attempt to utilize their perceived advantage."

Grag joined In, "I am sure they will not want to give us much time to react. I would expect them to get very close to our ships."

Shran added, "I would agree with that. I say, the closer they get, the better." Then, after a moment he added, "One thing has bothered me, how will we utilize the twelve ships we have with the detectors so that all ships will be able to target them? Also, do we intend to disarm them or cripple their engines?"

Archer turned to T'Pol, "As one of the two people who worked on duplicating the devices and provided the information on how to install them, I will let Captain T'Pol answer those questions."

T'Pol nodded and began, "As you know, on the ships with the detectors, the information can be seen on screens within the ship. This information can then be transmitted to other ships. Of course, the problem lies in that the detectors have a limited area of detection, so the twelve ships can only show perhaps say twenty ships at one time if they are reasonably close to one another. However, we can detect them for some time before they reach us and should be able to identify where the majority of the ships are. Thus, we should have a plentiful supply of targets."

Archer then carried on, "Thank you Captain. As we have discussed before, once the Vulcan scout ships have located the enemy fleet, they will head back to our fleet and provide twenty-five more detectors. At warp 8, they should have no problem beating the Romulan fleet to our location."

Shran broke in, "What if they fail to find the fleet?"

Archer smirked, "Then we have a problem." As the others stared at him, he quickly continued, "Since the Romulans have no inkling that we can detect them, I see no reason they will attempt to avoid detection. But if they have not been detected in forty days, the scout ships will also join us."

T'Pol then added, "As to your other question, General Shran, although we can detect their presence, we are not able to scan the ships. Therefore, we will have to just fire at the ships themselves."

Soval spoke again, "So we will not be doing any targeting, but basically laying down a barrage."

Archer nodded, "I was also planning that if any did manage to decloak, we will assign the Vulcan fleet to attack them since your ships are the most powerful."

Although Valdore's fleet was maintaining constant speeds of Warp 7, they seemed to be crawling along, such was his eagerness to exact his revenge on Archer and the others. He, Torok, and their staffs had worked out a plan to engage the enemy. They had even sought out Venter's advice. They planned to set up almost one with one on the Alliance ships and destroy them at almost point-blank range. But to be sure, Voldare's flagship and two others would attack _Enterprise_. He had considered trying to just damage the ship and capture Archer and T'Pol alive. He knew it would greatly please the Praetor, but decided it was just too risky. There must be no chance for Archer to escape.

Subcommander Storek commanded the Vulcan science ship _Votar_. He and his three-man crew were completing their path through their sector when the detector began to beep. In spite of himself, he felt a moment of excitement and pleasure. They had apparently located the Romulan Fleet. Turning to the crewman manning the scanning screen, he asked if it was indeed the fleet. She quickly moved the detector through its full range of motion and confirmed on her screen that it was indeed a large number of ships. Upon hearing that confirmation, Storek, heeding his instructions from the War Council, made sure to make no indication that anything had happened and continued on his journey. As soon as he was sure he was out of scanner range, he notified _Enterprise_ what he had seen. As expected, he was then ordered to head back to the Alliance Fleet at maximum warp. The rest of the science ships were soon also on their way to join him.

Tribune Hahn and the crew of the _Tragon_ had long grown tired of their monitoring of the Alliance fleet. Thus, he had been relieved and exited when he had last moved off and reported in to the Empire, that he had been told an attack fleet was on its way. Now, as he had returned to his vantage point, he eagerly awaited the time he could join in the destruction of Archer and his fleet.

Then, when he believed the fleet would be soon arriving, he was surprised to see a group of small ships drop out of warp and join the fleet. He quickly scanned them and found they were unarmed. Just as he was wondering if he should take steps to relay this information to the oncoming fleet, he noticed two Vulcan ships break out of the formation and head in his general direction. Suddenly, they turned toward him, and his armory officer yelled out, "They are charging weapons." By the time he realized that the impossible had happened, that they knew he was there, he had only a short time to live. In a matter of minutes, the _Tragon_ ceased to exist.

As the Romulan Fleet prepared to drop out of warp and engage the Alliance Fleet at last, they took the normal step of setting their self-destruct systems to two hours. If no one would correct that, the ship would be destroyed. It was the ultimate method to be sure no secrets would be left undestroyed. Of course, they could also at any time do an immediate self-destruct. All the ships prepared to move into their positions with Valdore's flagship and its two sister ships moving toward their position to attack _Enterprise_. In a short time, Archer and his Alliance would be a memory. Then, just a short distance from their goal, Valdore was stunned to hear his science officer say the words that had been said aboard the _Tragon_ and repeated in some way among all the ships of his fleet, "They are charging weapons!"

In that moment, Valdore strangely felt a brief sense of wonderment. Somehow, that accursed Archer had done it again. He was cheating death, avoiding the seemingly inevitable fate that they had prepared for him. Then as panic took over, he screamed out, "Curse all the Elements, they can see us, Decloak, Decloak!"

But, of course, it was much too late. Lieutenant Commander Reed and the other Armory officers aboard the Alliance ships were taking no chances, they laid down an overwhelming barrage of cannon fire and a wide swath of torpedoes. Much of the Romulan fleet was destroyed or rendered helpless almost immediately. The ones that managed to decloak were attacked by the Vulcan fleet. Archer noted how efficiently the Vulcans were able to accomplish that task.

A few ships tried to escape cloaked, but were detected by science ships and hunted down.

Then, as the firing slowed and the results were beginning to be accessed, the self-destructions began. Then the whole battlefield came to a point of calm.

It took thirty-seven seconds for the Van Hindenburg to crash.

It took two hours and forty minutes for the Titanic to sink.

The Romulan Fleet was destroyed in six hours and fifteen minutes.

The Captain of the _Cornot_ was stunned beyond belief. His ship had suffered engine problems and had fallen behind the fleet and told to catch up when he could, or they would check on him after the battle. The repairs had taken some time and he was hurrying to catch up with the fleet. Then his long-range scanners located what he assumed was the battle ahead. When he was able to see the action on his viewscreen, he could not believe his eyes. The Romulan Fleet was being destroyed. He was able to pick up messages from the attacked ships and realized that somehow they had been detected while cloaked. Shaking off his disbelief, he knew there was nothing he could do to help them, but he needed to get this information to Romulus. He quickly had his ship turned around and headed back the way he had come at maximum warp.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N I own nothing and just write for the joy of it. I want to sincerely thank EroSlackerMicha, Alastairnyght, BelladonasMom, and orionastro for their reviews and input. I really do appreciate them and reflect on what they say. I also do not want to forget to thank all those that honor me by reading my story.**

 **For those of you who may not have read the reviews, Alastairnyght pointed out to me that I have been wrong when discussing the Tellarites and their home planet. I am repeating my response to his review here.**

 **Well, that's embarrassing as hell. From now on they will be Tellarites and their home world just Tellar. I did notice on Google that it was also called Tellar Prime. I am curious how I ever got The Teller but I guess that will just be a mystery. I do want to sincerely thank Alastairnyght for pointing this out to me. I hope it hasn't hurt anyone's enjoyment of the story.**

 **Okay – on with the story**

It was 2000 hours and Admiral Gardner was still at his desk. It had been early that morning when the War Council had notified the War Committee that the Romulan fleet was in sensor range. They reported that all still looked normal and that the Romulans were cloaked, which seemed to mean they still were not aware they could be detected. There was a two-hour delay in receiving messages so he was sure the Fleets were engaged in battle. He had stayed late in the faint hope he would hear something. In spite of their confidence they had the element of surprise, there was so much that could go wrong. He knew the next message he would receive could signal a great victory, a costly victory, or a crushing defeat.

Finally giving up, he left his office, but first notified the communication officer on duty that he was to contact him immediately, no matter the time.

He arrived home and found his wife had saved him supper. After eating, he sat with her, holding her hand. She knew something was bothering him, but had long ago learned not to ask. They went to bed at 2300. It was 0400 in the morning when his communicator beeped. Quickly grabbing it to try to not awaken his wife, he learned from the communications officer that an encrypted message had arrived for his eyes only. Now completely awake, he hung up and called his driver to pick him up.

Telling his wife to go back to sleep, he quickly got ready and within an hour was on his way to Starfleet Headquarters.

Upon arriving he was given a PADD containing the message and quickly took to it his office and used his personal coding machine, tied to his retina scan, to decode the message. Anxious to see it but almost afraid to look, he took a breath and began to read.

 _To the War Committee_

 _From Admiral Jonathan Archer and the members of the War Council._

 _We have engaged the enemy and achieved total success. The Romulan Fleet has been destroyed. Two of our ships were slightly damaged and twenty crewmen have been injured, none with death-threatening injuries. We believe we have prevented any of the enemy ships from escaping but cannot be sure. We have sent the science ships back out with several ships of the fleet to look for any such ships although it is a slim chance we will locate any. In any case, it is our opinion that we have probably lost our element of surprise. Future battles are expected to be fought on a more equal basis. A full report will follow._

Admiral Gardner expelled the breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. Suddenly a feeling of relief rolled over him. That was quickly followed by him having a huge smile. He knew this was just one battle and many more difficulties lie ahead, but he was going to enjoy this to the fullest.

Checking the time, he saw it was 0630. He contacted the communications officer and told him to send a message to the President that he wanted to meet with him as soon as possible. He knew it was early but he couldn't wait to share the good news with President Samuels.

He soon got a call back that the President would meet with him at 0900. Evidently, he wasn't the only one up early this morning.

After arranging for a shuttle to take him to Geneva, he decided he better go home and make himself more presentable.

Promptly at 0900, he entered the President's office. Fighting to keep a smile from his face, he greeted him and after he was seated, could wait no longer.

Reaching out to hand the President the PADD, he said, "I just received this from the War Council."

The President quickly took it and as he read it, Admiral Gardner had to smile as he saw his face change from concern to a big smile.

"This is fantastic, Matt. We have to get this to the rest of the War Committee as soon as possible."

Pushing some keys on his computer, he spoke to the officer on duty at the Communications Center. "Commander Watkins, I have a vital message that needs to be sent to the members of the War Committee at once. It will be encrypted at the highest level and will be sent to the committee for their eyes only. Admiral Gardner will deliver it to you himself."

After signing off, he turned to Gardner, "Before you leave, I would like to discuss something with you. I would like to give a speech to the public but not exactly sure what to say. Even though the War Council seems to feel we have lost our edge, I think we still need to treat it as top secret. How can I tell them about our complete victory without giving something away?"

"I understand, Mr. President. I agree that we should still err on the side of caution. I would just tell them it was a great victory and that information about damage and casualties for our Fleet need to be kept secret."

"Thanks, Matt, that sounds good. I'll get with the Networks immediately. Will set it up for two o'clock today. Why don't you add a message to the War Committee telling them of my intent to do so?" After a small hesitation, "You might want to share our concern on keeping the information about our detectors secret."

"All right, Sir, I'll get that done right away."

After Gardner left, the President looked at the pictures of his family on his desk. "Well, Nancy, I know it is just the beginning, but at least it is some payback for what they did. I just wish you were here to celebrate it with me."

It was midnight on Vulcan when the message arrived, but the Subcommander on duty did not hesitate to immediately contact Minister T'Pau.

When T'Pau was awake and had received the notice of the message, she told the Subcommander to contact Minister Kuvack and have him meet her at her office. She then got herself ready and traveled to the Council Building. Kuvack was there waiting for her. They entered her office and T'Pau used the same device that Admiral Gardner had used to decode the message. They had received the machines from the Andorian Intelligence Service. To be sure none were obtained by the enemy, they had taken all twelve of them for use by the Alliance. Four were on the flagships of the fleet, four were in the offices of the War Committee leaders and the last four were in a vault at Starfleet, guarded twenty-four hours a day.

After she read the message, T'Pau stated, "This is most satisfactory." She passed it to Kuvack, who shared her gratification. Reading the message attached by Admiral Gardner and realizing the president would be speaking in less than four Earth hours, she decided she would give her speech at two o'clock Vulcan time. They both agreed on the importance of doing their best to keep the detector information secret as long as they could.

This scenario was carried out similarly on the other two planets of the Alliance, Andoria receiving the message mid-morning and Tellar in the afternoon. But unlike the others, both Premier Gartl and General Thrang were not about to show any restraint about the totality of the victory and when they reported to their subjects, crowed about the minor casualties of the Alliance while relishing in telling them of the crushing of the Romulan Fleet. But they still did not mention the ability to detect Romulan ships.

When Natalie heard about the upcoming President's speech, she was of course very nervous about what information it could contain. She prevailed upon her Father to be with her.

Promptly at two o'clock, the President spoke on all social media.

 _I have asked for this time today to bring you up to date on the first serious action of the war since the attack on Earth. Yesterday, The Alliance Fleet joined in battle with a fleet of over two-hundred Romulan Ships. This would be the first great test of the war. To see if we could stand up against an invasion fleet. I am proud to report to you today, that our forces were victorious, driving back the attempt of our enemy to attack our home planets. Great damage was inflicted on their fleet and while you can understand for reasons of security, that I cannot reveal what damage our fleet received, I can assure you that we suffered no deaths. It was a great victory, with the enemy suffering a crushing loss. Now, it is good for us to relish this moment, to honor our brave soldiers, but we must not forget this is but one battle and difficult times still lie ahead._

 _Thank you for your time, and may a favorable providence continue to cover our path._

Of course there was great relief across all of Earth, and a renewed belief in the destiny of one Jonathan Archer.

Mary Robbins had acted on her resolve and had offered her services to Starfleet. She agreed to be a person that would meet with those who lost loved ones in the war. The news about the victory made her relieved and happy but also reminded her that this was all very real.

Penelope heard the news sitting next to David. She had finally responded to his repeated urgings and had set a date. But while she was relieved when she heard the good news about the battle, she reluctantly had to admit it also forced her to face the knowledge of who her true love was.

But at the home of one young girl and her mother, the relief and joy they felt that their heroes had been triumphant and were okay, was unfortunately deeply tempered by the fact that a few days before, with just over a month to her twelfth birthday, Mercy McBride had displayed the first symptoms of the final, fatal stage of Torrin Syndrome. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, Mercy had met the news with courage and poise, helping her Mother and Grandparents cope with what had happened.

Mercy did make two requests of her mother. First, she wanted to be sure that Archer and T'Pol were not informed. She said, "They have enough to worry about."

She then asked her mother if she thought it would be all right if when the time came, she could wear her Starfleet uniform. That it would be okay with everyone. Her mother, fighting to control her tears, said she was sure everyone would be proud to have her do so. To that, Mercy smiled and said, "Cool."

The _Cornot_ was struggling. The repairs to its engine had apparently not been complete. The Chief Engineer had told the Captain that if they didn't slow down, the engines could explode causing a reactor breach. Reluctantly, they had slowed to Warp 6. Knowing the vital knowledge they carried with them, they were afraid of being detected. Fortunately, it was only a twelve-hour journey to a point where they could send a message to Romulus. They were only three hours away from that point when their long-range scanners picked up a small ship and three Alliance warships approaching at Warp 7. It was apparent they would be caught before they were able to send a message. They were cloaked but the Captain knew that was no longer any certainty of not being seen.

In the end, the decision was an easy one. They would be destroyed in any case. They needed to do all they could to get a message to Romulus; the entire future of the war could be at stake. No one in the crew was surprised when the Captain ordered them to proceed at maximum warp. Just before the ship was destroyed when its reactor exploded, they were able to get off a desperate message.

The crews and officers of the Fleet were celebrating, even as ships searched the scene of the battle for any debris that could give them clues to the Romulans, but evidently the Romulan self-destruction explosions created a searing heat that destroyed evidence quite convincingly.

During the celebrations, Admiral Archer was conspicuously absent, staying in his Ready Room. With the other members of the bridge curious about what was going on, T'Pol finally knocked on the door. Upon receiving an invitation to enter, she found Archer sitting behind his desk, apparently deep in thought. As she found a seat, he asked her, "What do you think is the number of crew members on a Romulan ship?"

Surprised, she answered, "From what we know, is comparable to our ships, anywhere from 80 to 100."

Archer went on, "Let's say eighty, that would mean a total fleet complement of over 16,000 men and women. How many wives, husbands, and children were left without a member of their family?"

He turned to look at her. "How many are going to die before this is over? How many of ours?"

He went on, "Why, T'Pol? Why are they doing this? Why us? We are a long way from where they operate. We are no threat to them. Why are they so interested?"

T'Pol had asked herself the same questions. She had no real answers. But she did wonder if it had something to do with what Daniels had said about the future. About a Federation of Planets. Were the Romulans acting in a way like the Xindi? Were they worried about the future? Ironically, the very actions they had taken to tear the species apart had brought them together.

She spoke up, "I have no answers for you, Admiral, but it is apparent they do not intend the Alliance to last."

Of course, the missing piece that would make it clear to them what drove the Romulans was their desire to return to Vulcan.

A myriad of emotions assailed Jane McBride as she watched her daughter, pride, anger, sympathy; but mostly sadness. Mercy was working on a letter to be sent to T'Pol 'later' as she referred to the time after her death. She was past due for the time for her pain killer and Jane could see her face grimacing from the pain; but she knew Mercy was intent on finishing.

Jane again railed against all the Gods, Forces, and Devils; that none of them would allow Jane to take on Mercy's burden even if they should increase the pain a hundredfold.

Suddenly, Mercy put down her pen. "I'm finished, Mommy."

Jane quickly grabbed the hypo and moved toward Mercy saying, "That's wonderful Mercy, do you want your shot now?"

Mercy nodded and Jane quickly pushed it against her neck. Thankfully, the drug worked almost immediately and the pain disappeared from Mercy's face. But each day it took higher and higher dosages to stop the pain. Mercy went on, "Remember, Mommy, you promised you wouldn't send this 'til later. "

"I remember, Mercy."

"Mommy, can you hold me?"

"Of course, Honey." Jane picked her up and carried her back to the couch where she sat down and held Mercy on her lap with her head resting against her mother's chest. Jane gently ran her fingers through Mercy's hair.

They stayed that way for some time. Then suddenly Mercy looked up and said very quietly, "I'm tired, Mommy, I am sooo tired."

Jane looked down at her, not caring that tears were running down her cheeks. "I know, Mercy, I know. Don't fight it, it's time for you to rest."

Mercy put her head back down. Then she just quietly said, "I love you, Mommy." She then mercifully fell asleep as her mother answered, "Oh God, Mercy, I love you so much."

Portor was glad to see that it was just over an hour before his shift ended. He disliked working during the night. It was mostly 7 hours of sitting around. There were so few messages at night that he wondered why they even bothered to have someone on duty. Then he had to admit that someone might need help or needed to urgently contact someone at the Palace. To his astonishment, the communication computer announced there was an incoming message. He was informed it was encrypted and had come from the warship _Cornot_.

Portor didn't realize it, but he was about to make the most important decision of his life. Normally, since the message was not noted 'For his eyes only,' he would decode it and based on what it said, either attempt to deliver it immediately or leave it to be delivered in the morning. But something about this message bothered him. He knew the _Cornot_ was part of the invasion fleet, but of no special importance to the fleet. Also, one would expect such a message to be directed to someone. He finally decided to play it on the safe side and contact someone he knew it would be safe to entrust the message to, whatever it contained.

Solon was surprised to hear from the night communications officer, but when he heard where the message had come from, he decided he better check it out. Upon arriving at the room, he asked the man on duty if he had decoded it. When he said he hadn't, he told him to remain there and took the message to his office. When he decoded it, even his stoicism was severely tested. Quickly, he returned to the Communications Center. He knew he should kill the one who had received the message. Not only was he a possible witness, but he might have lied about not decoding the message. But then he reflected that the death would only cause more problems and questions so he decided to believe him. When he got there, he told Portor that he "No longer needed to concern himself with the message, that he would take care of it."

The implied threat was not lost on Portor and when his relief arrived, he left thinking he had narrowly escaped death.

Solon immediately contacted Vardon and told him he would meet him in his office immediately. He had been waiting in the Praetor's office for about a half hour when an obviously irritated Vandor entered.

"This had better be good. You are the only person that could get me to leave the arms of a beautiful woman just on your say so."

Solon handed him the PADD with the message, "This arrived some time ago from the _Cornot._ Fortunately, the man on duty chose to call me instead of decoding it."

Taking the PADD, Vardon said, "I assume the man is dead."

"I decided to believe him and thought his death might cause other problems."

Vandor looked surprised at him. "This Palace life must be making you soft."

Holding the PADD up, he said, "Will this make me want to kill you?"

"It may make you want to kill yourself."

Vandor raised an eyebrow and began to read.

 _All is lost. The fleet is being destroyed. From messages I received from the ships, the Alliance can detect cloaked vessels. I am sending this message even as my ship is being destroyed. Long live the Empire._

Vandor looked up and Solon saw something in his face and eyes he had never seen before, despair and perhaps a touch of fear. But then it was gone and replaced with pure rage as Vandor hurled the PADD across the room. It took him some time for him to recover, but then he finally said, "I guess I owe that first Tribune an apology, we know now he probably didn't get caught decloaked." He then hesitated before saying, "Should we have seen this coming?"

Solon had been thinking that same thing and had come to a conclusion. "No, even now it seems impossible that they should be able to see our ships. We would have never suspected it." After a moment, he continued, "It is amazing though that they have apparently been able to keep this secret."

Vandor interrupted, "What by the elements do we do now? When this gets out, everyone will want my head."

"That is true, this was a defeat beyond anything we have experienced before. But it is also true that many will realize how this could not be foreseen."

"You think that will matter? Who will want to follow a Praetor who had presided over this?"

Solon thought for a moment and then said, "Actually, I believe there are really only two men that you need to keep on your side, Venter and Ruddick."

Vandor sat up, hope on his face for the first time. "That's true, with them on our side, we should be able to forestall any threat. But there is also the question of the Senate. I have several enemies there."

"Yes, but those enemies have no armies and we have dealt with Senators before."

"You're right. We need to get with Riddick and Venter right away and hope you are right, that they will understand that this was not of my doing. That it was impossible to see in advance."

Although Venter and Ruddick were both stunned and appalled by what they were being told, they finally did agree that it was beyond Vandor's control. They agreed to continue to back him. Venter then pointed out that the Empire should follow the Alliance lead and keep the truth hidden as much as possible. The Empire had many enemies who would be interested that such a device existed.

With them in their camp, Solon and Vandor went before the Senate to report what had happened. But they also took steps to have Riddick bring his fleet back into the skies over the city and place several of Solon's followers outside the Senate as 'security'.

The Senators were shocked and angry. But those that wished to oppose Vandor and punish him for the disaster, were held back by the fleet overhead and a message from Venter stating his continuing support. They knew no fleet could be produced that would move against those combined forces. Many, noting Solon's men outside, remembered what had happened to those that opposed Vardon in the past. But someone did need to pay. Because it was his recommendation that Valdore be the commander of the fleet, Ketnor gave up his position as head of the Military Committee. But the real blame came to rest on Torok. Censured for his role in developing the battle plan and his responsibility for Military affairs, Torok was removed from his post and ordered to be arrested by the Senate. Torok took the honorable way out by impaling himself on a sword. The Senate also agreed that the information about the detectors should be kept from the public.

The Senate then reaffirmed its backing of the Praetor.

The full extent of the disaster was kept from those in the Core. Although admitting the fleet had failed to destroy the Alliance fleet, it was portrayed as an equal battle with heavy casualties on both sides. Since many of the dead soldiers came from outside the Core, the total loss of life was never assessed. The official line also stated that the surviving part of the fleet were remaining in the field.

Tribune Manok was named the new Minister for Military Affairs. One of his first recommendations was that instead of launching another large attack on the Alliance Fleet, they should work on ways to undermine them. He suggested going after their supply chain. Although he wanted to seek immediate revenge, Vandor agreed and they began to work on plans to accomplish that goal.

Although they were able to hide the truth within the Core, in other areas of the Empire, that had contact with traders and others from outside the Empire; the fact that the Empire had suffered a disastrous loss, raised hopes and gave courage to those who fought against Romulan control. When this victory was added to the legends of what had happened with the Xindi, a new hero arose. The name of Archer began to ring through many of the rebellions occurring in the Empire.

T'Pol was at her station when she received a message from the Admiral that he wanted her to join him in his Ready Room. She knew he had received a communique from the War Committee and assumed as was the usual case he wished to discuss some of the points with her before taking it to a meeting with the War Council.

When she entered the room and shut the door behind her, she was surprised that Jonathan was sitting on his desk by her chair looking very serious. Suddenly, she felt a sense of foreboding. As she took her seat and looked up at him, he said very sadly, "Included in the message from the Committee was a personal message for you and me from Admiral Gardner. After a moment of hesitation when he took a deep breath, he looked her in the eye and said, "There is no easy way to say this, he wanted us to know that Mercy has died."

T'Pol sat there, absorbing what she had heard. She had known logically of course, that this moment would come, but now that it had, she felt a deep sensation of having lost something, leaving a hole that she doubted would ever be filled. Summoning all her Vulcan control, she said quietly, "That of course was at some time to be expected."

Archer answered, "I know, but I guess I just wanted to believe that somehow she would avoid it."

He reached out and touched her shoulder. "All you all right?"

She leaned into his touch and said, "Yes, Jonathan, I am fine. It does of course deeply sadden me."

"Do you want to take some time off? Need to Meditate?"

T'Pol considered it, but realized she would rather be working and not have time to dwell on it. "Thank you, but I think I would rather stay at my post."

Giving her shoulder a squeeze, he removed his hand and said, "I understand." Then he said, "If you need to, I am available anytime for you."

She reached out and touched his arm, "I know. But I also know you felt as much for her. And I am also there for you."

Then, surprising herself, she formed her fingers in the position for a Vulcan kiss. Holding her hand out to Jonathan, she told him, form your fingers like this. When he did, looking inquisitively at her, she then touched her fingers to his saying, "This is a Vulcan way of showing affection, much like a kiss." She was surprised to find that it felt good and gave her comfort, she was not sure If that would be true with a human. She was gratified to see that it seemed to give him comfort as well.

When they reluctantly parted their fingers, Archer sighed and said, "I suppose I better inform the Bridge crew. I think I'll have Phlox and Trip come up since they spent time with Mercy."

When Trip and Phlox joined them on the bridge, he broke the news to all of them. All were of course saddened, and although deep down they knew this moment would come, they had all wanted to believe it would somehow be prevented. When Hoshi began to sob quietly, Travis went over to console her. When everyone had come to grips with what had happened, they spent some time talking about Mercy and especially her time on _Enterprise._ Archer made the same offer to them to take time off if they wanted, but all, like T'Pol, felt they would rather be involved in work. Archer also announced it to the crew as some of them had also interacted with Mercy.

Deciding that following their regular routine was best, Archer then did discuss some of the information from the War Committee with T'Pol and they attended a meeting of the War Council that afternoon. Archer and T'Pol had their usual supper and talked of other matters.

That night in her quarters, T'Pol entered into her usual meditation. But then she suddenly stopped and got to her feet. She walked over to her shelf and took the action figure from it. After looking at it for a few moments, she held it to her chest and for the second time in her life, cried unashamedly, the tears cascading down her face. After a time, she pulled herself together and gently returned the figure to the shelf. She then went to her bathroom wiped away the tears. She then returned to her meditation.

Lester Warren was in an excellent mood. All the hard work he had put in getting the Starship plants up and going were finally paying off. All of the twelve plants were on schedule to produce a new ship every six months. Added to the news about the Alliance victory, he was enjoying a rare moment of satisfaction. He knew it would be short-lived though. The War was far from over and many challenges lie ahead.

For President Samuels the victory had come at an auspicious time. The Election for the Presidency was only a month away. Although it had been doubtful he would lose his job in the middle of the war, especially with his personal tragedy, the victory all but assured his reelection.

When the mail came in the month after they learned about Mercy, T'Pol was shocked but pleased upon discovering she had letters from Mercy and her mother. She immediately took them unread to share them with Jonathan. When they looked at Jane's, she had a note they should read Mercy's first. They sat close together and read it.

 _Dear T'Pol,_

 _Hi, T'Pol. When you receive this letter, I will be with my Daddy. I was afraid that I might not find him because I didn't really know him, but Mommy said he loved me very much and he would make sure I would be with him. This has been hard but I just think how strong you would be and I decided I will be like you. I get to wear my Starfleet uniform when it happens. Mommy told me it would be okay, but I was still worried. She contacted Starfleet and I got a letter from Admiral Gardner saying they would be proud to have me wear it. It was so cool! Please don't be sad. Thanks to you and Admiral Archer, I have had the greatest adventures. When you come home, I hope you can visit Mommy and Grandpa and Grandma. I hope that Vulcan has the same heaven because then I will someday see you again. I love you, T'Pol, just like you were my other Mommy. I better go now, I need to get my shot._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Mercy McBride_

Archer reached out and took her hand. She looked up gratefully at him and was surprised to see tears in his eyes. She squeezed his hand and he got control of himself. Then they started to read Jane's letter.

 _Dear Jonathan and T'Pol,_

 _I am sorry that I didn't contact you when Mercy showed symptoms of the final stage, but Mercy asked me not to. She said, "You had enough to worry about." You guys would have been so proud of her. She was so strong she made me and her grandparents be strong too. I know she told you she is wearing her uniform. I was so surprised when Admiral Gardner took the time to answer. But then, he and his wife showed up at the funeral! He said he was there because he knew you two would be there if you could. I thanked him for the letter, but he said it was no problem, that he had been moved about how I told him how courageous Mercy had been. He said he wanted to let me know how proud I should be of her. Then he told me that a son of a dear friend of his had also died of Torrin Syndrome. He was only seven years old._

 _I miss Mercy every day, but it is easier because of how happy you made her and what you did for her. I know I am a broken record but I also know you will never be able to know how much it meant to us._

 _I pray every day for you to return safely._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Jane McBride_

T'Pol spoke up, "I never told you this. Do you remember when Mercy visited my quarters when she was on _Enterprise_?"

When Archer nodded, she went on, "She told me that no one with Torrin Syndrome had ever lived to be twelve years old. She said she might be the first. I told her I thought she would.

Archer smiled, "She made it."

T'Pol gave her smile, "Yes, she did."

Then suddenly, T'Pol realized she needed to be held. She rose and reached out. Archer took her in his arms. She put hers around him and laid her head on his chest. For a moment, she wondered if she was getting too emotional again, that she was not a Vulcan. But then she knew how wrong that was. Her love for Jonathan was worth losing a little control. She was where she wanted to be, where she needed to be, where she belonged. She looked up at him and he tenderly kissed her lips. Then she put her head back on his chest. They remained that way for some time before they reluctantly parted.

Jhamel heard the news about the battle when she was with the Aenar. She had been splitting time equally with them and her home in the capital. Lately, she had been thinking of the possibility of visiting Earth. She knew it would be difficult but had decided she would like to spend some time with Natalie and see her son. She knew that General Thrang was planning a trip to confer with Admiral Gardner and President Samuels. She would approach him when she returned to the city.

Margot heard the news with her son. He had worked to spend time with her because he knew how much she missed his father. He would have thought she would have become used to his father being away, but there had never been the uncertainty that came with this war. She had also confided in him that she just had a horrible feeling that she would not see Gral again. He tried to dissuade her but he was not able to.

A few months after the battle, everyone was excited as a new group of Earth ships arrived. Eight new ships arrived, bringing the entire total to seventeen and sixteen with the Fleet. Captain Hernandez now had a real start to commanding an Earth Fleet with more in the pipeline.

After he had welcomed them, Archer turned them over to _Columbi_ a. As the rest were moving off, Hoshi announced that they were being hailed by one of them. Surprised, Archer said, "Let's see what he wants."

"Admiral Archer, Captain John Stewart. I have a direct order from Admiral Gardner that you allow my ship to pass in review."

Caught off guard, Archer answered a little sharply, "What's this all about, Captain?"

Looking a little nonplussed, Stewart continued, "Admiral Gardner's orders, Sir." Then quietly, "I believe you will understand when you see my ship."

Archer, resignedly, "Very well, make your pass. Travis, put it on the viewscreen."

The ship passed in front of _Enterprise_ , its name clearly showing, _Mercy McBride_.

Archer, with mixed feelings of surprise, joy, and a touch of sadness, felt his heart in his throat. He glanced over at T'Pol and although she was stoic, he could see she shared his feelings.

He then addressed Captain Stewart, "I understand, Captain. Thank you."

"Your welcome, Sir."

After a moment, Archer continued, "You realize you and your crew have a proud and courageous name to live up to."

"We know, Sir, and will do our best to do so."

"You better join the others now."

As the ship moved off, everyone on the bridge, with the exception of T'Pol discussed excitedly what they had seen. They marveled at what Admiral Gardner had done.

Then when everyone finished and the bridge was silent, T'Pol brought amazement and joy to the others when she simply said, "Cool."


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N Special thanks to EroSlackerMicha for the review and Alastairnyght for a PM. I can't say enough how much I appreciate and look forward to input, but I also greatly appreciate and still marvel that people find enjoyment in my writing. Thanks to all of you.**

After the emotional strain of the first battle, the death of Mercy and the arrival of the new ships, things, at least on the surface, returned to normal for the Fleet. That is, returned to waiting. Archer and T'Pol had visited the new ships, perhaps understandably spending a little more time on the _Mercy McBride_ , talking with Captain Stewart.

Trip and Kathy also spent time on the new ships, having discussions with their Engineering departments, while Malcom did the same with the Armories. Archer and T'Pol also took a tour with the other members of the War Council. Everyone was in agreement, Earth was producing more and more powerful ships. Although still not quite equal to the Vulcans, there were no doubts they were equal to the Andorians and a definite step above the Tellarite Fleet. The new ships spent long hours with Captain Hernandez to become a vital cog in the Alliance War Machine.

Within a couple weeks after the ships arrived, several events took place. First, Charlie was one year old. Then came the end of the Fleet's first year in deployment. These were followed by Christmas Day. Trip, who had already felt low when he missed Charlie's first words and starting to walk, was even more bummed by missing his son's first birthday, but made the best of it by having a small party with the Bridge crew, Kathy, and Phlox. He had just received some new pictures of Charlie walking from Natalie and cheered himself up by sharing them with the others. He was surprised when Shran heard about it and came over to join the party. They of course, had to drink a toast of Andorian Ale to the baby, T'Pol even taking part.

Christmas was a low-key event, consisting mostly of a party in the mess hall. Everyone was thinking of how they had already been away from home for a year and had no idea when they would return. In contrast, everyone went a little overboard for New Years, taking the opportunity to let off a little steam. Even the Andorians and Tellarites celebrated with them, with the proviso the humans would reciprocate on the Andorian and Tellarite New Years. The Vulcans looked at all this with a rather jaundiced eye, accepting it as a necessary evil, part of their association with such emotional beings. A couple of weeks after New Year's; after Trip had spent a lot of time meeting with the engineers of the other ships, he contacted Archer and asked if he could meet with him.

After getting permission, Archer wondering why he thought he needed to ask, Trip found himself outside the Admiral's Ready Room. He was surprised and amazed that he was actually a little nervous about the meeting. After all, this was Jonathan Archer, a man that had been his friend for a long time. But he was also Admiral Jonathan Archer, Supreme Commander of the Alliance Fleet. And today, it was that man he needed to persuade to agree to the idea the Engineers and others on Earth ships wanted to propose.

Then, noticing that T'Pol and the others on the Bridge were looking at him, wondering why he was standing there, he quickly knocked and was asked to enter.

Since Trip requested a formal meeting, Archer greeted him with "Have a seat, Commander."

After Trip was seated, he continued, "So, what's this all about?"

Trip hesitated then started, "As you know, I have been meeting with the Chief Engineers from the other ships. The other day, after we were done discussing business, we commented how great it was to having the new ships here. Then, one of the guys said jokingly, 'Sixteen ships, perfect number to have some kind of tournament. You know, like the Sweet Sixteen in basketball.' Suddenly we found ourselves actually considering how it would be good for morale to have some kind of competition. Then somebody said, 'How about basketball?' Well it just took off from there. We held more meetings and came up with a plan for a tournament between the ships. We checked it out and found there was interest and apparently enough players on each ship to make up eight-man squads."

Archer was surprised, he would not have ever guessed this is what Trip was going to discuss. "Basketball?"

Trip hurried on, "We were thinking of a complete round robin, everyone playing everyone else and then the top two teams playing for the Championship. Might have to have some playoff games if we have equal records."

"Sounds like will take a lot of time. We don't want to interfere with our duties."

"We thought we could do it after normal shift. I'm sure we can cover for anyone that would normally be on duty." Pushing on, "It will not be only good for the players, but will give the rest something to watch and cheer for."

"Where did you plan to play these games?"

"Several of the new ships have large cargo bays that are empty. They also have a lot of sports equipment and other stuff. Could set up baskets in those."

"Well, I guess it might be worth a try. Who's going to select the players?"

"Actually, we have already done that. Everyone has agreed except one person we haven't told yet."

"I am not saying yes yet, but just for interest, who is on our team?"

"Well, first is Travis, you know he is about the best natural shooter I have seen. Comes from all those years practicing on the freighter. Then there's James Howard, he played first string in college. Deb Taft played for her high school team. Ted Baker played a lot of Y ball and Sid Watson also played in college. Then there's me. I also thought it would be fun to have Phlox on the team. Could probably not play regularly but maybe we could create some plays for him."

When he stopped, Archer said, "That's only seven, who's the eighth?"

Trip looked a little nonplussed, "He's the one we haven't told yet. But he's the one that everyone agreed needed to play. That would do the most for morale."

Archer started to get suspicious, "Wait a minute…."

Trip interrupted, "Everyone wants you to play, Admiral. They all agreed it would really top the whole thing."

"I don't know, Trip. I'd love to play, but not sure I should, being their commander." Then he smirked, "Or is it so they can all push me around with no repercussions?"

Trip grew serious, "Jon, they really want you to play. I think it would be good for them to interact with you on a different level."

Archer still wasn't sure it was a good idea, but he did want to play and it would give him a chance to get to know more of his crews.

"All right, Trip, I have a feeling I might regret it but I'll give it a try."

Trip gave a broad smile, "Thanks Jon. Well, we will get everything going."

"Now that I am in, how does our team look compared to the others."

"For the most part, we seemed to have lucked out, the teams look pretty equal." Then, after a moment, "Except for the _California._ "

Seeing Archer looking at him, he continued, "They do have a guy named Barry Stevens, who did play a few years in the WBL."

Archer stared, "He was a professional basketball player?"

Trip quickly said, "Yes, but he is only one man and as it turns out, there wasn't much other talent on the ship."

Then with a sly grin, Trip said, "We also thought we should maybe have cheerleaders."

Seeing the look on Archer's face, he quickly added, "Just kidding." But then he smirked and said, "But I was kind of thinking of how T'Pol would look in a cheerleading outfit."

Archer was about to talk to him about respecting your commanding officers when he saw the smirk. Besides, he couldn't stop the image of T'Pol in a short cheerleading skirt, jumping up and down.

He then seriously said, "I assume we are done here. I give you my permission with the proviso that you see to it that our routines are not affected. I am holding you responsible for that. Understood, Commander?"

Trip straightened up, "I understand, Sir."

"All right, dismissed."

Things actually proceeded smoothly and everything was soon set up. There was a difficult moment when Archer informed T'Pol. He had never seen her eyebrows go so high. Giving him her most condescending look she said, "Basketball. Don't you think you are all a little old to be taking part in games? I would think you especially…."

Archer, getting a little angry, "What about me?"

Smiling inwardly, T'Pol answered, "At your age…"

"My age!"

Then he saw her showing what amounted to her smile and cooled down. Then he smirked and lowered his voice, "Someday, T'Pol, I will show you how much energy I do have when we indulge in our own games."

Rewarded by seeing her slightly blush, he continued, "I know it may appear as a waste of time to you, but I do believe it will be good for morale."

It became apparent Trip and the others had done their work and the games started without a hitch. They drew good crowds and for the most part were competitive games. Barry Stevens was of course the dominant player and it was widely expected _California_ would be one of the final teams.

There was an unforeseen complication that was brought to Archer's attention by Malcom Reed after several games had been played.

After inviting him to his Ready Room, Archer had him sit, and then asked, "What was it you need to discuss with me, Commander?"

"Have you noticed that quite a few Andorians and Tellarites have been attending the games?"

"I noticed there were some, I just assumed they were curious."

"That's what I thought but then I overheard some of them talking. Sir, they are betting on the games."

Archer was stunned, He managed to get out. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sir. Apparently, Shran heard about what we were doing and got curious. He accessed the data base and read all he could about basketball. Apparently, there was a reference to betting and he researched that fully. I never knew this, but Andorians and Tellarites are really involved in gambling. It is a big deal on both planets. They like to bet on almost anything. Well, he got together with Gral and they set up a pretty sophisticated system. Evidently, they understand spreads, over and under, etc.

Archer sighed, "Okay, Malcolm, I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I guess I better talk to Shran and Gral. We can't have Andorians and Tellarites arguing about money and gambling. It could get bad enough to affect the Alliance."

After meeting with Shran and Gral, Archer reluctantly decided he could not stop the betting except by making it a direct order which would be deeply resented and maybe even ignored. Both Shran and Gral were deeply indignant that anyone would think that gambling would cause problems between them. They assured him that no inhabitant of either planet would ever raise a ruckus or not pay their debts. They also assured him that no one but the winners were profiting from the betting. They also said that it was not Tellarites betting against Andorians but everyone individually betting their own choices. They also informed him that just as the tournament was for the morale of the Earthlings, betting was good morale for them. And with the remark by Archer that Starfleet frowned on betting, they coldly reminded him that they were not subject to any Starfleet rules.

At the completion of the Round Robin, _Enterprise_ surprisingly found itself playing _California_ for the Championship. Archer also decided he was glad he played. Everyone treated him as just another player and he felt he had got to know many of his crewman and officers better. It was particularly helpful interacting with those from the new ships.

As Archer was sitting on a bench lacing up his shoes while Trip and the other players were also getting ready. Malcolm entered the room and walked over to where they were.

"Have you seen the crowd out there? Think practically everybody from both ships are here along with a bunch of Andorians and Tellarites. Even Soval and couple of Vulcans are here."

Archer, smiling ruefully, "Am sure the Andorians and Tellarites are here to protect their bets. Wonder though what made Soval decide to come. Maybe he felt he should support us for the sake of morale. Amazed he could get anyone to come with him. Oh well, if we are going to embarrass ourselves, we might as well do it up right."

Then Malcom smirked, "Oh, you wouldn't believe who else is out there. Saw T'Pol sitting with Hoshi."

Archer showed surprise and excitement before trying to cover it up, "T'Pol?"

Malcolm smiled broadly, "Yeah, I knew Hoshi has been after her for some time saying as Captain she should attend for the sake of the morale of the crew. Guess she finally wore her down."

Tucker moved by them, "She and the rest of the Vulcans will probably spend their time meditating, or looking on with disapproval at the waste of time and energy."

Malcolm, sarcastically, "You don't think she will join in the cheering?"

Trip smirked, saying, "I think there is as much chance of that as Jon holding Barry to less than twenty points."

Archer, who pretended to be offended, "Aren't you supposed to try to build me up?"

Tucker laughed and said, "I was, I could've said forty."

They moved out into the bay. The room was full of spectators, some sitting on chairs close to the court, most of them standing in the area around the court. In the back some were sitting on storage boxes. Hoshi and T'Pol were sitting near one basket.

After having to endure watching Barry warm up by showing off various dunks, the game began.

Barry was almost unstoppable, twice dunking over Archer, but luckily James and Travis were hot, especially on three pointers. With Archer contributing with rebounds and Trip making some crucial shots, the score remained close. With six minutes left in the game, the score was _California_ 63, _Enterprise_ 61\. _California_ called a time out and everyone went to their benches.

Archer gestured to Deb, "Deb, you go in for me. I'm pooped and tired of watching Barry jump over me. You're a better shot than I am and maybe you can help on offense. Everyone will have to help on rebounding. As for defense, just collapse on Barry, you can't do any worse than I've been doing."

Deb answered, "Okay, Admiral." On a look from Archer, "I mean Jon."

Then Trip spoke up, "How about using our secret weapon?"

Archer nodded, "Good idea. Phlox, go in for James. Use the double screen play. Don't forget to call time out after he makes it so we can get him out of there. If you can't get it to him, just call time out."

When play resumed, they were able to set up a double screen and Phlox sank it.

While Hoshi cheered, T'Pol sat stoically beside her, but watched the game intently. Time out was called and Phlox left the floor. As play resumed, Barry was still scoring heavily, but they managed to stay in the game, with Deb making a crucial three-pointer. With just two minutes to go, _California_ led 75-71. Archer called time out.

As they returned to the bench, Archer congratulated Deb and said he was ready to return. He added, "I think it is time for Phlox again. This time we'll just use him as a decoy. Set up the screen for Travis. When he makes the shot call time out and James get back in the game. Then we'll put on a full court press. Okay, let's go."

The players returned to the court. When the other team saw Phlox back in the game, they double teamed him. Trip faked a toss to him and they set a series of screens which Travis drove around and made the shot. 75-73.

After they got Phlox out of the game, _California_ beat the press and Barry dunked it over Archer again. 77-73.

With less than a minute, Travis drew three men to him. He managed to get it to Trip, who made a difficult lay-up. 77-75.

This time the press bothered the _California_ players and with the shot clock running down, Barry missed a tough shot and Jon grabbed the rebound. He brought it to midcourt and called timeout. The clock showed 12 seconds as the players went to the bench.

Archer looked at the others, "Well, here we are. Anybody got a suggestion?"

Travis answered, "Think we should put Phlox in."

Archer turned to Phlox, "How about it? Are you up to the play we have been working on? I admit it didn't always work when we practiced it, but I think it's our best chance."

Phlox answered, "I believe I can execute it."

Deb spoke up, "I say we go for it!"

Archer looked around at the others who all show their agreement. "All right. Trip, you inbound it."

When everyone had returned to the court, Barry came up to guard Phlox alone while the others guarded against any decoy play. Trip got it to Travis, who moved toward the hoop, drawing two players with him. Suddenly Phlox moved! He shuffled to his right, moving away from the basket. As Barry went after him, he was stopped by Jon, who had come back to set a screen. Travis flipped it to Phlox who naturally made a three-pointer from way downtown as the game ended. Final score 78-77.

Barry was stunned as he stared at Phlox. Then he smiled and shook his head. Phlox was mobbed by his teammates, while Archer shook Barry's hand. Phlox, who was grinning from ear to ear, broke free and tried to give Archer an awkward high five. Just then Hoshi who was very excited, and T'Pol, stoic as usual, came up to them.

Hoshi hugged Phlox, "Great job Phlox, you were fantastic!" She turned to Archer, "Er…you were good too, Sir."

Archer ruefully answers, "Thanks, Hoshi."

Hoshi then embraced Travis and they and Phlox joined the other players.

Archer then addressed T'Pol, "Well, T'Pol, what did you think?"

"It was quite interesting. Although I still wonder at the amount of time and energy exerted for sports, I do believe it was good for morale." Then, with a glint in her eye, she continued, "I am curious though, Admiral. According to what Hoshi explained to me, were you not supposed to prevent Crewman Stevens from scoring?"

Archer looked suspiciously at her, but her face reflected nothing but innocent interest. "Yeah, that's what I was TRYING to do."

Shran and Gral walked up to them and Shran slapped Archer on the back, "Well, Pinkskin, I should know better than to bet against you. You owe me one."

"Don't look at me, I did very little, blame Phlox and the rest."

Gral then spoke up, "That was certainly true. Luckily for me they won in spite of you."

Archer glared at him, "Hey, I did have 14 rebounds. Of course you wouldn't know anything about that; you probably missed most of the game because you couldn't see over whoever was in front of you."

Gral glared back and was about to speak when Shran interrupted, "I did recover some of my money by betting Stevens would not score fifty…"

Archer, incredulously, "The line was fifty?"

Ignoring the interruption, Shran went on, "…points, but you didn't do it by much. I got a little nervous when he got 47."

T'Pol spoke up, "48."

Shran answered back, "What?"

"Crewman Stevens scored 48 points."

Archer now glared at her, "You kept track of what he scored against me?"

T'Pol looked surprised, "I know what everyone scored. You for example scored 8 while Commander Tucker…"

Archer, interrupting, "Never mind, that's enough, I believe you."

Trip now came up to join them with a broad smile on his face, "Well, what did you guys think? Pretty impressive, huh."

T'Pol answered, "You do seem to be quite proficient at the game."

Archer, smarting a little, "At least one of us is." Then he smiled, "I suppose we should hit the showers, I'm sure we are pretty offensive right now."

T'Pol, diplomatically, "You are both quite aromatic."

Shran, not so diplomatically, "Aromatic? They stink."

Archer feigned hurt, "I think we have just been insulted."

Tucker, acting serious, "I don't think so. I know so." Holding out his elbow, "Admiral."

Archer interlocking his elbow, "Commander." They walk off.

Shran shook his head, "Humans! How did we ever get involved with them? Sometimes, I swear they seem like children."

T'Pol, watching them leave, turned back to Shran, "I believe their good qualities far outweigh their shortcomings. I am quite fascinated with them."

Shran smirked, "Especially one of them."

T'Pol met his eyes, "If you will excuse me, I need to return to the Bridge. Live long and prosper, General Shran and Viscount Gral." She then left them.

Shran watched her leave, looked at Gral, smiled and shook his head. They both then turned and left, arguing about their bets.

When Jhamel returned to the city, she carried through with her plan to contact General Thrang. At first, he was resistant, afraid for her safety. But with pushing from the Queen and an okay from Shran, he agreed to have her accompany him. He explained he was visiting Earth to take a tour of their Spaceship building facilities. When the Humans had outlined their plan to build twelve new Spaceships every six months, he felt they were widely overestimating their capabilities. But now learning that the plants were ready to go, he decided he wanted to explore the possibility of doing something similar, on a smaller scale, perhaps with the Tellarites. He told Jhamel he would probably be on Earth about a week. She would have liked to stay longer but knew this would probably be her only chance to go at all.

The plan was for the Earth ship _Intrepid_ to meet their ship halfway. Both ships were equipped with detection devices.

The trip to Earth proved to be uneventful with Jhamel now being a seasoned traveler. She had sent a message ahead and Natalie and Charlie were there to greet her when she arrived at Starfleet. She happily held Charlie who spent his time smiling and touching her antennae. They all joined Thrang when he went to meet with President Samuels and Admiral Gardner. They had a quick meeting and lunch with them. But then, when Thrang headed out for the nearest plant, Natalie took Jhamel to her home where she would be staying.

After getting Jhamel settled in, they talked for a while about the war. After preparing and eating supper, they played with Charlie, Jhamel happily watching him walk and say a few words.

Later, they both engaged in some girl talk about their husbands, both discovering that whatever their species, men were still men.

When Charlie had been put to bed, they sat in the living room with a glass of wine. Natalie had been trying to get up the courage to ask Jhamel a question for quite a while, she had wanted to ask her since the first time she met her. She finally decided 'What the Hell,' and hoping Jhamel wouldn't be offended, she asked, "Jhamel, this is really none of my business and you don't have to answer, but how do you function so normally when you are blind?"

Jhamel smiled and said, "I don't mind at all your asking. Actually there are parts of it I really don't completely understand myself, but I can tell you how the world appears to me. As I believe is true of even blind humans, I have highly developed other senses, such as smell and hearing. But mine are much more advanced. Then of course there is also my telepathic ability. Every object that exists whether living or not gives off something I can detect such as a smell. With living beings, there are a wide array of such inflections. Smell, hearing, and even though I do not read someone's mind without permission, I still can sense emotions, even from non-sentient species such as dogs."

"Now, here is the part I really can't explain fully. From all this input, I actually 'see' something. It is difficult to explain but I just know it is there." She smiled, "The first time I met Shran, I told him I had never met a blue skinned person before. He asked me how I knew he was blue if I couldn't see. I told him I didn't understand the science of it, but just knew. Actually, somehow, I could tell he was Andorian, so that's how I knew he was blue."

"I hope that helps a little. Also, since of course these indications are unique to an individual, once I meet someone, I can recognize them the next time I meet them."

Natalie was stunned. She couldn't imagine what it would be like, being bombarded by all the things Jhamel sensed. And having the ability to sort it all out…

Jhamel continued, "Now, there is something I would like to ask you. It is a big favor and I will completely understand if you don't feel comfortable doing it."

Natalie answered, "I will help if I can."

"Since I have been with Shran, he has been willing to let me use his eyes. That is, I look into his mind and see what he sees. Therefore, I know what you all really look like. It was strange at first and I had to train my mind to correctly interpret what I was seeing. It was like being exposed to a whole new world. I also realized I couldn't use his eyes when I moved, since he was not going exactly where I was. It was a long struggle to make it work, but in the end it was well worth it. I was wondering if you would let me do that with you. I assure you I will not intrude on your thoughts. I am able to limit my reading to just what you see. Also, I will only do it when you are with me and seeing what I would normally see. I will not use it to see what you do away from me."

Natalie wasn't sure what to say. She wanted to help but the idea of someone entering her mind bothered her. After thinking it over, she decided she could trust Jhamel. "I admit it bothers me a little, but I trust you and am willing to try."

Jhamel, who had waited patiently while she saw Natalie ponder her decision, smiled and said, "Thank you. I assure you it will be as I said." Then she smiled and said, "Why didn't you tell me my hair was such a mess?"

Natalie was surprised, she had felt nothing. "Are you doing it now?" Then realized what a stupid question that was. She continued "I can't tell anything. Besides, your hair looks fine to me."

Jhamel laughed and then said, "Can we go upstairs and look in on Charlie. I can't wait to see him."

Natalie smiled, "Of course."

For the next few days, Natalie and Jhamel spent time in San Francisco and the surrounding areas, Jhamel happily taking everything in. They went to movies, the opera, and ballet. They visited the SF Museum of Modern Art. Jhamel was enthralled and excited as she took it all in. Watching her, Natalie was just as thrilled, she knew she was introducing her to a new world of experiences. The only thing that bugged her was that Admiral Gardner had insisted they be accompanied by a member of Starfleet Security. But it turned out that he was for the most part unobtrusive and she had to admit she was glad he was there when people wanted to get too close.

But then General Thrang informed them that he had finished his tour and was ready to return to Andoria. Neither Natalie or Jhamel were ready to have her leave.

Natalie asked Admiral Gardner if there was anything that could be done to have Jhamel stay longer.

It was actually Admiral Duvall that provided a solution. He pointed out to Gardner that a new set of starships would be leaving in five months to join the fleet. He wondered if Jhamel could stay until then and hitch a ride on one of the ships. They could drop her off on Andoria on their way.

Everyone quickly agreed that was a great idea and General Thrang returned home without Jhamel.

For the next five months, Natalie, Charlie and Jhamel traveled the world, taking in all the sights. Much of it was also new to Natalie. They also were able to meet with leaders and prominent people from many nations. Natalie was almost driven to tears of joy as she watched the excitement and happiness Jhamel was feeling. It also turned out to be a tremendous help in promoting the Alliance.

Five months after she arrived, Jhamel reluctantly said goodbye to Natalie and Charlie. They all had a final hug and the women agreed they and their husbands would all get back together after the war.

Jhamel boarded _La Marseilles_ and returned safely to Andoria.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N I am still borrowing these wonderful characters for my own enjoyment. I want to thank EroSlackerMicha and the three Guests for their reviews. I really do appreciate them. I sincerely do want to thank Guest #1 for the effort he put in and his extensive rendering of his opinion. Actually, in a way I understand where you are coming from. On my part, I don't really enjoy Trip/T'Pol fanfiction or agree with most of their interpretations. As far as Archer/T'Pol, I have basically presented my case in this story, in T'Pol's goodbye to Trip, in the rite T'Pol went through on Vulcan, and Archer's declaration of love. I do want to comment on a couple points however. The first is kind of petty. Theoretically this is not AU, it is my idea for what happened after the show ended. I also take exception to the reviewer's opinion of their relationship in Canon. Even on the show, I felt there was a deep friendship and mutual respect between Archer and T'Pol. I think there are any number of episodes that bear this out, but would like to mention three moments I especially enjoyed. First was when V'Lar came to Enterprise and commented about how she sensed a friendship between them. Then there was the scene when Archer returned to the ship in the past when they thought he was dead. When they faced each other, I just knew they wanted to embrace. Then there was a small moment during the Vulcan trilogy when T'Pol was sitting sadly when she and Archer were imprisoned. He came over and put his hand on her shoulder. She didn't pull away, cringe, or even ignore it; she leaned into it.**

 **Well, I better get off my soapbox. Once again, I do appreciate everyone's input. And now, on with the story.**

As the time passed, life settled for the most part into a routine. Little new information was coming out of Romulus. The friendship between Kathy and Trip continued to grow as each helped the other as they missed their spouses. It was extremely difficult for Trip in that he continued to miss the first years of his son's life. Natalie did write regularly and sent him pictures. He appreciated them but it also reminded him of what he was missing. For Kathy, it had early been apparent that Mary missed her terribly, making her feel a little guilty. Lately that had improved as Mary had found some new friends at Starfleet.

Both of them had been affected by Mercy's death. Trip realized how lucky he was to have a healthy son, but also now more than ever realized tragedy was never far away. For Kathy, she wished now that she and Mary had a child before she left.

T'Pol and Archer found themselves spending more time together. T'Pol was pleased when she found that Jonathan asked that they often express their feelings with a Vulcan kiss rather than a human one. It did seem to bring comfort to each of them while still showing affection. But the best was still being in Jonathan's arms.

Next to T'Pol and Archer, Hoshi was the most affected. Ever since she had held Charlie, Hoshi had begun to think of her and Travis's future. Although she agreed with their original decision not to get married because of Starfleet regulations and their fear they would not be able to serve on _Enterprise_ together, their sleeping together and her desire to formalize their commitment to each other had made her decide she wanted to get married. Mercy's death had reminded her of how easily those we love can be taken from us and how valuable the time we spend with them was.

One night, after she and Travis had made love and were lying together, she turned to him and said, "Travis, let's get married."

Travis was stunned. "What did you say?"

"I said I think we should get married."

Travis answered, "There is nothing I would love more, but how about Starfleet and regulations?"

"I really don't think they will bring us home since we are now out here." She smirked, "Would it be punishment to bring us home from a war? Besides, I don't think Admiral Archer would allow it."

"What about the Admiral? Do you think he will go against regulations?"

She smiled softly at him, "I don't know about Admiral Archer, but I am sure Jon would."

Travis gave her the smile she loved, "Miss Hoshi Sato, will you make me the happiest man on Earth or in space and marry me?"

She smiled and got even closer, "Yes, Mr. Travis Mayweather, I will marry you."

Not wanting to waste any more time, Travis and Hoshi arranged to meet with Archer the next day.

After they were settled in the Ready Room, Archer asked, "So what was so important you needed to see me."

Hoshi reached out and took Travis's hand. Admiral, we would like you to marry us."

Archer was surprised. He of course knew they were basically living together but hadn't expected them to take the next step. They knew that if Starfleet found out they would not be happy about their decision. He knew he should turn them down, but at the same time, he realized how much this meant to them if they were willing to ask him to break regulations. Looking at them, he decided he didn't want to say no. But he felt he owed it to his position to try to dissuade them.

"What suddenly brought this on? You are already basically living together. Is it worth the possibility of getting Starfleet involved?"

Travis spoke up, "We wanted to get married before leaving Earth, but were afraid we would not be allowed to serve together on _Enterprise_ , but now that we out here, we realize how much we want it. I know that although Hoshi's parents said they understood our decision, it would make them more comfortable if we were married and living together."

Hoshi joined in, "Mercy's death has made us realized how precious life is. We love each other and want to show our commitment not only for ourselves but to everyone else."

She looked at Travis and then said very quietly, "It would really mean a lot to us if you would marry us."

Archer still felt he should try to dissuade them, but knew he could not resist such an appeal. He smiled and said, "I don't know what problems it might cause us, but I would be proud and honored to marry you two."

Hoshi smiled broadly and after a moment of hesitation, moved around the desk and gave Archer a hug, "Thank you so much, Sir."

Archer hugged her back and then rising, reached out and shook Travis's hand who also thanked him.

As Hoshi returned back to her seat, Archer asked, "Have you considered who you want to stand up with you?"

Hoshi smiled and said, "I was planning to ask Captain T'Pol."

Archer smiled back, "I am sure she will be honored. How about you, Travis?"

"I could never choose between Malcolm and Trip so thought would ask them both."

Archer answered, "I suppose you want this done as soon as possible. How about the day after tomorrow on the bridge? Am sure Phlox would want to be there. And I have a feeling Trip will want Kathy to be there too. I can't believe how close they've become."

Hoshi looked at Travis, they were both thinking how quick this was all happening but at the same time realized this is what they wanted. They quickly agreed.

T'Pol was surprised when Hoshi said she had a personal matter she wanted to discuss with her. They arranged to meet in T'Pol's quarters that night.

When Hoshi entered T'Pol's quarters, she found T'Pol in her Vulcan robes, putting away her Meditation candle.

When T'Pol had finished and they were both seated, T'Pol looked inquisitively at her.

"Travis and I went to the Admiral today and asked him to marry us. We plan to have the ceremony on Friday." For just a moment she hesitated and then said, "It would please me a lot if you would be willing to stand up with me."

Although T'Pol's face remained stoic, she was surprised. Although the Admiral was not a big stickler for regulations, this seemed like a major step. Then she realized how Archer felt about Hoshi and Travis and understood it would be difficult for him to resist. She also felt a surge of jealousy. But she knew that there would be much greater repercussions if she and Jonathan were to do the same. Seeing Hoshi was waiting she said, "I would be honored to do so."

Hoshi smiled and said, "Thank you." Then she smirked, "After all, as the only women on the bridge, we girls need to stick together."

T'Pol raised her eyebrows slightly and then said with a touch of amusement in her voice, "Indeed."

They talked a little longer about what T'Pol was expected to do and Hoshi admitted that although she was excited, she was also a little overwhelmed over how quickly everything was happening. Then she smiled and said, "Keep me in mind when you finally decided to get married."

Watching T'Pol's eyebrows go up, she smiled and said goodnight.

After she left, T'Pol thought about what she had said. It would appear that she and Jonathan's relationship was not the secret they thought. She wondered how many others felt the same as Hoshi. Then, thinking about her and Jonathan getting married, she prepared to go to bed.

Tribune Manok was experiencing a new emotion for him, fear. When he had taken the position of military advisor to the Praetor, he thought they had agreed it was time for a different approach to the war with the Alliance. To be patient and stage attacks on their supply lines. But today when he presented his plan to Vandor, he had surprised him by immediately becoming angry and throwing the PADD with the proposal across the room. Then, he felt Solon move toward him. Everyone knew what had happened to those who opposed Vandor and he thought he would be next.

But to his surprise, Solon placed himself between himself and Vandor and apparently was able to get him to cool down.

Vandor then returned to his seat and Solon signaled for Manok to sit down as well.

But just as Manok began to relax, he could see that Vandor was still not pleased with him.

In a sarcastic tone, Vandor spoke, "My dear Manok. It is apparent you have not taken the time to study my thoughts on the events leading us to where we are. Otherwise you would know that we do not have the time for a long, protracted struggle. We cannot afford to engage in a serious of pinpricks on their freight lines. Each day we linger, the Alliance gets stronger. I was willing to listen to another approach to a direct attack but assumed it would be on a much greater scale than this insipid proposal you presented. I sincerely hope that you have something else more interesting to present." Inwardly, Vandor knew that the shock of what had happened to Valdore's fleet had caused him not to think clearly for some time. He knew that he had misled Manok, but was not about to admit it to him. Too much time had passed since the disastrous defeat and he needed to have something impressive to suggest to Ruddick, Venter, and the Senate. But if he couldn't Manok would have to pay the price.

Manok's mind raced. He had the feeling he had better come up with something quickly or he would be sharing Torok's fate. Then he remembered the proposal that one of his subordinates had suggested. He had ruled against it because of the sheer audacity of it and the odds against it succeeding. But now he knew he needed to take the risk of its failing if he wished to continue to live.

Seeing Vandor staring at him expectantly, he took a breath and began, "Actually, Praetor, these attacks were only to be the prelude to the main attack." He hesitated and doubted if he should continue but then took the plunge. "The culmination of our attacks on their supply lines was to be the destruction of the Vulcan supply depot itself."

Vandor could not hide his surprise and he saw Solon eyebrows raised as well. The Vulcan storage facility was well known to him. It was considered to be impregnable to attack. During its history, several factions had attempted an attack, but all had failed. Its destruction would be a huge blow against the Alliance. Suspiciously he stared at Manok, "This better not be some kind of a trick to try to get yourself off the hook."

Inside, Manok cringed, but he managed to keep his face impassive and his voice steady, "No Sir, we have a detailed plan to achieve our goal. Our only concern is that our ships will be detected before they can reach the target."

Vandor thought for a moment. He had been considering a rather risky plan of his own of how to get ships safely past the detectors. He knew they could not possibly cover everywhere but the length of the journey would increase the chance of being discovered. The risks could be lowered considerably depending on how few ships were involved. "Saying I believe you, how many ships does will this operation need?"

"It actually could be done by one ship, but its best chance lies with at least two and at least one hundred Reman soldiers as well."

Knowing he was risking bringing other forces into the war against him, Vandor decided four ships would make it an acceptable risk. Even if they found out what he had done, the small number of ships should convince them he had no intention of invading their territory. "All right, Manok, I will give you three warships and one troop ship with three hundred Remans. I hope this will not take to long to prepare for. We have already wasted too much time."

Manok took a sigh of relief. He knew he was a long way from getting out of this alive, but he apparently was safe for now. "No, just the time to assemble the ships and load some special equipment."

"How long will the attack take?"

"About one week." Manok decided he needed to begin to prepare some excuses for a possible/probable failure. "This plan is contingent upon no Alliance ships interfering with our plan. All of our intelligence tells us that they so believe in its ability to repel attack that there are normally no ships in the vicinity."

Vardon said, "All right, let's hear how we are going to accomplish the impossible."

Manok leaned forward and began.

Jonathan Archer had spent many hours on the Bridge, but none quite matched up to what was occurring today. As expected, Trip had asked to bring Kathy and Phlox of course had accepted as well. Trip had managed to provide a ring from engineering that he actually made look respectable. Travis told Hoshi he would get her a real ring when they got back to Earth, but Hoshi said this one was the one she wanted to keep.

Archer had brought out the Starfleet Manual and was ready with the wedding ritual itself. Everyone was wearing civilian clothes with T'Pol in her Vulcan robes. None of the men had anything appropriate but Hoshi didn't seem to mind. She herself had evidently brought one special dress. She was wearing a blue dress made from silk that made her a very beautiful bride.

With the computer providing the music, Phlox had been honored to be asked to give the bride away.

With everyone in their place, Archer began, "I have spent a lot of time on this Bridge, both in good times and bad, but I can not remember a day that matches what is occurring today. I cannot say enough how much joy it brings me to have the opportunity to bring these two individuals together. I would trust both of them with my life and am proud to have them as fellow officers. But, more than that, I am proud to say they are my friends. I am so happy that they have found each other, because they each so deserve to be happy."

He then opened the Manual. "We are here today to join these two people in matrimony. In a proud tradition that goes back to the time sailors first found their way to the seas, I, as a Starfleet Admiral am proud to preside on such an auspicious occasion."

Turning to Travis, "Lieutenant Travis Mayweather, do you take Lieutenant Hoshi Sato as your wife, to honor and cherish as long as you both shall live?

Travis. Looking into Hoshi's eyes, "I do."

Archer turns to Hoshi, "Do you Lieutenant Hoshi Sato take Lieutenant Travis Mayweather as your husband, to honor and cherish as long as you both shall live?

Hoshi looks up at Travis, "I do."

Trip then gives the ring to Travis.

Archer goes on, "Repeat after me, with this ring I thee wed."

Travis repeats it and slips the ring onto Hoshi's finger.

"Do you two have something you wish to say?"

They both nod and reach out and join hands. Travis goes first, "I cannot express how happy I feel today. To have you agree to marry me is so amazing, so wonderful. I will do whatever I can to try to make you as happy as you make me."

Hoshi looked back at him, "I would have never believed that I would ever meet someone with whom I could feel what I do for you. You are my best friend, my protector, my lover. Whatever life brings us, I will never doubt that we will always love each other and thus will face it together."

They continued to join hands and turned their heads toward Archer, who was smiling happily at them.

Now, with the power vested in me by Starfleet Command, I now pronounce you man and wife."

He smiled more broadly, "You may kiss the bride."

They embrace and kiss tenderly. Then as they turn back, the rest gather around them. Hoshi gets a hug and congratulations from everyone, except T'Pol, who does touch her arm and congratulate her.

Travis shakes hands and gets a hug from Kathy. T'Pol congratulates him as well.

They then travel to the Mess Hall where Chef has prepared a cake and the rest of the crew are waiting.

To their surprise, Shran, Soval, and Gral are there also.

After several toasts, with Andorian Ale of course, the newly weds are allowed to retreat to Travis's quarters where they make love for the first time as husband and wife.

A few weeks after the wedding and Hoshi moving in with Travis, Admiral Gardner arrived aboard the _Intrepid_ , accompanied by the _Potomac_. They had decided to keep one of the new star ships on Earth to accompany the _Intrepid_. He came representing the War Committee to discuss the current situation with the War Council and check on the overall morale of the fleet.

It turned out there was little to talk about, although there were rumors coming out of Romulus about a new attack, there was nothing specific. He also found that in spite of the waiting, the soldiers were staying busy and morale and confidence remained high.

Just before he left, he addressed the War Council once more. He told them that the Rigellians were feeling slighted that they had not yet met with the War Council. Gardner had tried to placate them by stopping to visit them on the way to the fleet, but they were adamant about needing a visit from someone on the War Council.

Archer, who had already had an adventure with a disgruntled society, declared he should remain with the Fleet. Shran glared at him, but having no good excuse, agreed to go and meet with them. He then smirked and deciding to get back at the Admiral, suggested that since Archer wasn't going, T'Pol should join him. Archer was disappointed and surprised when she readily agreed. Satisfied, Gardner took one last tour and the two starships headed back to Earth, planning to stop at the planets of the Alliance and discuss what he had found with the members of the War Committee.

Wondering why T'Pol had so readily agreed to go, Archer asked her to join him in his Ready Room.

"I admit I was surprised, why did you agree to go with Shran?"

"Since you are not going, a decision I agree with, I felt that you should at least be represented." She hesitated and then said, "I also have an ulterior motive. Rigel 7 is within a week's distance of the Great Depot. I have heard so much about it but have never seen it. I thought this would be an opportunity to do so."

Archer now wished he had known that, he would have gone if he knew she wanted to go. When he mentioned that to her however, she pointed out that it would have not been logical for both of them to be gone. Once again, Archer reluctantly had to agree with her.

A few days later, the Andorian flagship and another Andorian ship to escort it went to Warp, heading for Rigel 7 and the Great Depot.

Just as they went to warp, Shran turned to T'Pol and said with a big grin, "This trip should give us time to get to know each other better."

He smiled even more broadly when she just raised her eyebrows.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N I still own nothing. I want to sincerely thank my loyal reviewer EroSlackerMicha for the review, I really appreciate your support. I also want to thank the others that continue to honor me by reading my story.**

Jonathan Archer missed T'Pol. That in itself was not remarkable, he knew he would. But it was the extent to which he missed her that was startling to him. It felt as if a part of him was missing. He also did not like that she was not where he could protect her. He had to smirk to himself as to the last. She was more than capable of caring for herself, and would not be overly pleased that he would feel that way, but he couldn't help himself. She had only been gone a few days and would be back in a couple months, but it seemed forever.

Feeling chagrined at his weakness, he attempted to put it behind him. He found himself inviting other members of the officer corps to eat the evening meal with him. This of course did not go unnoticed by them and they soon suspected what was happening. Trip had told Kathy of his long-led belief that there was much more than friendship between Jon and T'Pol. Kathy had been a little shocked at first, but then realized she shouldn't be. Trip had told her some of what had happened between himself and T'Pol, so the idea of a Vulcan and a human relationship was not as shocking as it might have been to her. She soon came to share his feelings about it, that it was wonderful that they might feel that way.

One night, about two weeks after T'Pol had left, she and Trip were eating with the Admiral. They had just received word that Shran and T'Pol had reached Rigel 7 and were about to meet with the Rigellian government. That had led them to talk of _Enterprise's_ earlier visit when Archer had been shot. Trip and Jon told Kathy how amazed they were when T'Pol had decided to continue the mission instead of returning to Earth. They agreed that was the turning point of their attitude toward T'Pol, although they both were quick to add, it was sometime before they were completely comfortable having her aboard.

Wine had been served with the dinner and Kathy had perhaps imbibed a little more than she planned. She blurted out, "Admiral, how long was it before you realized you had feelings for her?" In the ensuing silence, she wished a vortex would open for her to disappear in. She was wondering what she could say to salvage the situation, when both her and Trip were shocked to hear Jon reply.

"I really don't know. She just came to be important to me and I knew I needed her at my side. But it wasn't until she told me she was leaving to go back to Vulcan, that I realized I loved her."

Trip finally managed to get out, "Does she know?"

Archer smiled at them and went on, "Before we left, I told her how I felt and she told me she loved me as well."

Trip and Kathy were stunned, but then broke into big smiles. Trip spoke up, "So what's going on? Why the secrecy? Are you guys going to get married?"

Archer turned serious and wondered if he had said too much. He had not planned to say anything, but realized he had been wanting to let his friends know for some time. "Trip, Kathy, I probably should not have said anything. You need to promise me that you will keep this to yourselves. Both T'Pol and I agree, that under the current circumstances, it would be better if it remained a secret."

Seeing their inquisitive looks, he went on. "With our position of leadership in the Alliance and with everything that is at stake, we can not risk taking a chance on disrupting something."

Trip finally spoke, "I guess I can see that" and looking at Kathy, who nodded, "We won't say anything." He then went on, "But I think you should tell the others. We were all kind of sure something was going on."

Archer nodded. He wasn't sure how T'Pol would feel about him breaking their agreement, but he felt she would understand. "I'll let them know."

When everyone had been informed, all of them felt the same joy that Jon and T'Pol had found each other. They all agreed they belonged together.

Back on Earth, Jane McBride was taking the first steps to create a foundation to collect money to form a research facility dedicated to the curing of Torrin Syndrome. She was traveling to England in hopes of talking to the scientist who was the leading expert on the disease. She had been apprehensive about approaching him. Everyone had told her he was brilliant, but was anti-social and worked alone. Her first attempts to meet with him had been rebuffed, but she had learned that the one person who could possibly persuade him was his sister Penelope Crowder.

So, Jane found herself knocking on the door of a small house across from windswept dunes.

Penelope had been shocked when she had been contacted by Jane. As soon as she told her story, she realized it was her child that was famous for having a Starship named after her. But of course her real interest was the tie to _Enterprise._ She had quickly agreed to meet with her.

Answering the door, Penelope invited her in. Jane moved in and looked around, then turned to Penelope and said, "Thank you so much for agreeing to see me."

Taking Jane's coat, Penelope signaled for her to sit with her on the couch.

"It's my pleasure. Can I get you anything?"

"Just some water."

Penelope went to the kitchen and returned with a bottled water and a cup of tea. Handing the bottle to Jane, she sat back down next to her.

"I of course know of your daughter and would have been glad to help in any case, but I admit I also had another reason."

Seeing Jane's look of confusion, she went on, "It may interest you to know that this is Malcolm Reed's hometown. In fact, he lived along this same street. I know that Admiral Archer and Captain T'Pol had a special interest in your daughter."

Seeing that Jane was still wondering where she was going, she continued, "I am very interested in anything to do with _Enterprise_. You see, I am in love with Malcolm Reed."

Jane was surprised, but still wondering where this was leading. It was of course quite a coincidence and she and Mercy had met Malcolm when they were on _Enterprise_ , but the connection was tenuous at best.

Penelope had continued, "I believe that he also loves me, but does not want me to be involved with someone who could be gone for long periods of time. We broke up, but it was not my choice."

Jane finally said, "I am sorry to hear that. But I am not sure why you are telling me all this."

Penelope smiled, "I am not really sure either, but maybe with you involved in a way with _Enterprise_ …" She ran her fingers through her hair, "I think I just needed to talk to someone. I have agreed to marry someone but have decided I can't." She waved her hands. "I am sorry to burden you with this, I really don't know what I was thinking."

Jane wasn't sure what she could say and an awkward silence followed.

Penelope broke the silence, "Okay, I got that off my chest. I am again sorry to waste your time with that, you wanted to talk about my brother."

Jane impulsively reached out and touched Penelope's arm, "There is no need to be sorry. I wish I could say something that would help. If it is worth anything, I agree you should not go forward with the wedding the way you feel."

Penelope smiled appreciatively and touched Jane's hand before she removed it, "Thank you, but just to have someone listen has been a great help."

"As for my brother, I will do what I can to help. But I don't want to get your hopes up. He has always been a loner. He was always different because of his intelligence. With our parents dead, I am really the only one that he lets anywhere near him. He has always been intrigued by Torrin Syndrome, but I have to admit it is mainly as a scientific challenge. To get him to share his findings, to work with others; I don't know."

Jane asked, "How does he get by with that? How does he get funding?"

"A few years ago, he had a major breakthrough in an entirely different area. It turned out to have a great practical application and made him wealthy overnight. He took the opportunity to be free of a need to be funded and works alone." After a moment she went on, "I think I should approach him alone. I can feel him out and hopefully convince him to meet with you. What are your plans?"

"How long do you think it would take? I can stay over for a few days, but then I need to return home. Of course, I will return if you are successful."

"I will know right away how he will react. I'll leave for London tomorrow. I am sure I will have an answer by Wednesday for sure."

"Then I will remain in England." As they both rose, she said, "I can't thank you enough. However it turns out, I will always be grateful."

"I hope we are successful." Hesitating, "Thank you again for listening to my rantings, it has helped."

They said their goodbyes, Penelope again promising to let her know either way as soon as possible.

Minister Manok allowed himself a sigh of relief as the four Romulan ships moved out of Orion space. Although they had been cloaked the entire journey and it was not the Orions that could detect cloaked ships, he was glad to leave their territory. He had been surprised when the Praetor informed him that was the path the ships should take until they were close to the Grand Depot. They had exited at a point that left them just over three weeks to their journey. The three warships could make it in a little over two weeks but the Troop Ship would slow them down.

When the mission had been put together and given the okay to go, Manok decided that with all that was at stake, he would take command of the expedition himself. Since the Depot was only a week's journey from Rigel 7, they stayed cloaked to avoid being seen by Rigellian ships, hoping they would not encounter any Alliance ships capable of detecting them.

When they finally arrived safely at their destination, Manok deployed his ships around the asteroid and as they decloaked, sent out jamming signals to prevent the Vulcans from sending any messages for help. Then Reman troops from the Troop Ship were teleported to several places on the surface where they planted devices to keep up the jamming signals. Manok reflected that the Troop Ships were some of the oldest vessels in the Romulan fleet, but still served their purpose well. They could maintain up to 500 Reman soldiers. They also had the remarkable capability to transport one hundred soldiers at one time.

Having isolated the asteroid from reaching the outside world, three shuttles armed with disruptors were stationed outside the entrance in case the inhabitants had some means to flee. He placed them so they would not be in line from any attacks through the entrance.

With that accomplished, the Reman soldiers were beamed back aboard and the four ships moved to a point around the asteroid from the entrance. Then, while shuttles made several trips to bring parts to the surface, two hundred Reman soldiers were teleported to the same spot. Unloading the shuttles, led by a Candoran engineer, they began to assemble the drill. It was slow going, needing to work in pressure suits, but utilizing their numbers they worked around the clock. Forty-two hours after they began, the mammoth structure was completed, reaching high into space.

When his subordinate had first presented his plan, to say Manok was skeptical was a gross understatement. When he had presented the problem to his group of experts, he had explained how long it had taken the Vulcans to create it in the first place. They did not have months, perhaps years, to drill.

His subordinate explained that it was not just a drill, but one that utilized an amazing substance found on the planet of Candor, one of the planets they had conquered. It was a compound that was inert by itself, but when combined with certain chemicals, produced an extremely virulent acid. The acid was so powerful that it was impossible to contain, it would eat through any container that was used to try to hold it. Fortunately, or unfortunately, once created it almost immediately lost its acidity and returned to its original state.

The inhabitants of the planet had finally conceived of a way to utilize it as a method of drilling. The inert compound was placed on the outside of the bit of the drill. As the drill drove into the ground, it built up a liner of the inert material around the bit. Then the needed chemicals were issued through holes in the bit. Immediately before the acid could destroy the bit, the drill was automatically pulled back as the created acid lasted long enough to weaken the area. The drill then resumed its path, plowing through the weakened ground. The bit was massive, creating a hole with a diameter of five feet.

Once the drill had broken through to the inner chamber, poisonous gas projectiles and powerful explosives would be dropped through the opening. After a time, the Reman soldiers would enter to finish the job. A downside was that the process was not very swift. The inert material had to be replenished regularly. It was also obviously very dangerous work, needing to be sure to keep the chemicals away from the substance. It was estimated it would take six days of drilling to accomplish the task.

As it turned out it took an extra day to get the drill working at full capacity, but it had now reached a regular rhythm and began its journey to the inner wall.

Shran had been surprised how much he had enjoyed spending time with T'Pol. He had come to think of her as a friend but that was because of her relationship with Archer. Now, being alone with her, they interacted in an entirely different way. At first, she had spent much of her time alone, apparently meditating. But then she had asked if she could join him on the bridge. Both she and Shran had been surprised by the actions of the rest of the Bridge crew. They pelted her with questions and his science officer quickly asked T'Pol to work with her. Everyone was impressed by her knowledge and intelligence. Shran could tell she was thrown a bit at first by the innuendos and banter flying back and forth. But having experience learning to deal with emotional beings and their idiosyncrasies, she quickly adapted.

She and Shran started to spend a lot of time together. Shran was pleasantly surprised by how she had learned the skill of casual conversation on a variety of subjects, something that other Vulcans did not seem to possess. They exchanged facts about their planets and T'Pol shared many stories of her early days aboard _Enterprise_. Shran did have to smirk how many times Archer played a prominent part in them. It was obvious she had deep respect for him, but was not afraid to admit his mistakes as well.

They were sharing a meal, something that had become a regular routine. She had been appreciative when she found Shran had been sure that appropriate meals would be available for her. They would be arriving at Rigel 7 the next day and Shran was not looking forward to meeting with the Rigellians. They were talking about the time Archer had learned of his old friend's death and about the early space program on Earth. Suddenly, Shran decided he was going to take his shot. Ever since Jhamel had mentioned that she sensed something between Archer and T'Pol, he had been obsessed with finding out the truth. He had watched them both carefully and had even attempted to draw Archer out. As there was a time of silence, he asked, "What is it between you and Archer? Are you friends, crewmates, what?"

T'Pol was not as surprised as she should be. Shran was not the subtlest of men and both her and Jonathan had taken note of his often crude attempts to learn the truth. She had also sensed that Jhamel had detected something when they were last together. She had to admit that she had enjoyed this voyage much more that she had expected to. She had been intrigued by the actions of the crew and surprised by their reaction to her. She was glad she had decided to join Shran on the bridge. She had been a little shocked by how they took liberties with rank and some of the topics that were discussed, but had soon learned to ignore it.

She decided that Jonathan would understand if she shared the truth with Shran. She knew he trusted him and she had come to trust him as well. Smiling to herself, she looked Shran in the eye and said, "I am in love with him and he loves me as well."

You could have knocked Shran over with a gourt. To say he was stunned was a giant understatement. He of course had suspected something, but to hear T'Pol come out with it…

As he struggled to answer, T'Pol went back to her meal as if nothing had happened.

Then Shran broke into a huge smile. "By the stars of Batron, that is the best thing I have heard for a long time." Suddenly he rose and to T'Pol's shock, he moved around the table and gave her a hug. She managed to resist her normal reaction to unexpected contact and accepted it.

Still grinning, he returned to his seat. "I can't wait to tell Jhamel, she will be ecstatic."

T'Pol quickly spoke up, "I need your word to keep this a secret. It must not go beyond this room."

"Why? What are you guys ashamed of? Why have you kept it such a secret?"

"Shran, you as much as anyone know how fragile this Alliance can be. If the Tellarites and the others learn of this, it will just remind them of how close the Vulcans and humans have been. They are already nervous about their role. I am also not sure how the Vulcans will react." She hesitated, "Or even your own people. Shran, I told you this because of the friendship between Jonathon and you and the fact that I knows he trusts you, as do I."

Shran thought for a moment, "All right, I will keep it to myself because you told me as a friend. But I think you underestimate the others. I think they would be as thrilled as I am." Then he smirked, "Well, as far as Soval, thrilled may be a little strong."

T'Pol looked him in the eye and said, "Thank you."

Shran said, "Your welcome." Then he smiled and rose, "This deserves a toast." As he poured two generous portions of Andorian Ale, he smiled even more broadly as T'Pol raised her eyebrows.

The meetings on Rigel 7 had been as boring as Shran had expected, but they had gone well enough. T'Pol being there to represent Archer had helped a great deal.

Now the ships were on their way to the Depot. Shran had to smile as T'Pol could not completely hide her anticipation of seeing it. He realized how well he could read her and what a fascinating and vital woman was hidden under that Vulcan stoicism. He felt he now understood why Archer loved her.

They had been traveling for a week and were both on the bridge, when the science officer excitedly exclaimed, "Long range sensors are picking up four ships in orbit over the Depot." She looked up from her instruments and turned to Shran, "They're Romulan."

Manok had just left the bridge to head to the mess hall when he was summoned back. As he entered, his second in command met him and said, "There are two Alliance warships approaching."


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N I still own nothing. I want to thank AnonymCzZ for the review. Reviews really do make my day.**

Penelope stood for a time outside her brother's lab. Although she loved him, he could be difficult and sometimes even she was often shocked by his indifference to life and people around him. Allowing herself a small sigh, she knocked on the door. After a few moments, he answered her knock. To her surprise, he had a smile on his face and greeted her warmly.

"Penelope, it is good to see you. It has been some time. I had planned to call you to see if we could get together, but then I made a small breakthrough and have been completely engrossed in working on it."

He stepped out of the way and allowed her to enter. The lab looked much as it usually did, PADDS lying everywhere and the huge whiteboards covered with symbols and equations. He took her coat and hung it up as he motioned for her to go into the living area next to the lab.

After asking and making her a cup of tea, he brought a bottle of water and sat down next to her on the couch. "I was glad to see that you decided not to marry that pompous ass from Oxford. I never believe that you loved him."

"He is not a pompous ass, he is a brilliant scholar who was very good to me. I broke it up because I was misleading him and realized he deserved to find someone who truly loved him. It was not an easy decision."

The smirk that Penelope hated came to Edward's face, "Whatever. Anyway, you are well rid of him." Then he hesitated a moment before saying, "Have you heard anything from Malcolm since he went off to war?"

Penelope looked at him in surprise, this attempt to make small talk was unusual for her brother. Usually when she visited him, she would already be feeling she was overstaying her welcome.

"No, he made it clear before he left that he was not interested in our having a future together."

"That's too bad, from what I know about him, he seems to be dedicated to what he is doing, and doesn't really care what others think."

Penelope smirked, "Sort of like you."

"I suppose."

Suddenly there was a silence and then Edward said, "Speaking of the Reeds, I ran into Madeline the other day."

"Madeline? Where?"

"I occasionally go to a nearby gym and apparently she recently became a member there."

Penelope was surprised. She didn't even know Edward would recognize Madeline. They were about the same age and had gone to the same school, but she had assumed that about all Edward remembered about school was how he was bullied. But then she did remember that Madeline had tried to stand up for him once, before Penelope went to his aid. "What did she have to say?"

"Not much. She talked about how she was worried about Malcolm and that her mother was getting worse." He suddenly looked embarrassed, "We stopped for a drink afterward. She remarked that it was a shame you and Malcolm had never been able to get together." He hesitated again, "We agreed to meet again."

Penelope was curious. She had never seen Edward act like this before. Then it hit her and she blurted out, "My God, you are attracted to her!"

The blush told her all she needed to know. She quickly followed up, "That's great. She is a wonderful person."

Edward stammered a little, "Don't get all excited, I don't have any idea if she is at all interested in me. After all, I have no experience in such matters."

"She agreed to see you again. That means something. And don't sell yourself short, you're not bad looking, you're certainly smart. I can already see how she has impacted you."

Then, Penelope remembered why she had come. She hated to change the mood, she was enjoying the apparent new Edward, but she had promised Jane.

"I hate to bring this up now, but I did have an ulterior motive for coming here."

She immediately regretted bringing it up as she saw his guard go back up, but she rushed on.

"Do you remember a woman who wanted to meet with you about her daughter who had Torrin Syndrome? She was interested in seeing if you would help her with a foundation she is attempting to set up in her daughter's name to research Torrin. Her name is Jane McBride."

The old Edward had returned, "Yes, she went on and on about how she needed to do this. She even mentioned something about her daughter having a Starship named after her. I told her what I will tell you, I have no intention of sharing my work or entering into any kind of collaboration." Then he asked, "How did you come to be involved in this, and why are you trying to help her?"

"I am helping her because it is a worthy cause. As for why she came to me, she was told I might be able to speak with you and perhaps get you to change your mind. I must admit I was also interested because her daughter was very close to Admiral Archer and Captain T'Pol. She even spent some time aboard _Enterprise_."

Then she thought of what he had said, "Your new breakthrough, does it have to do with your research on Torrin?"

He acted for a moment like he wasn't going to answer, but then he said, "Yes, I have a theory that the final fatal stage of the disease is triggered by the onset of puberty."

"Puberty? But some die at seven or eight."

"The age for puberty can vary dramatically and has been growing younger for a long time." Then he went on, "The problem is I am not even sure that even if I am correct that it will be of great value in finding a cure. But it is possible that the occurrence of the disease is also tied to hormones in the system. There has been no progress in finding something common in the parents, but if it is hormonal, it may help that search."

"Have you shared this theory?"

He looked at her with disdain, "And have someone use my work to further their career? I am certainly the most qualified to proceed. If this does lead to a cure, I will find it."

For not the first time in dealing with her brother, Penelope found herself getting angry, "Aren't the children who have the disease or will contract it in the future more important than your damn ego? Can't you for once set it aside and convey your theory to others, to collaborate in hope of finding a cure? This foundation that Jane wants to set up could be the catalyst to jump start research. Will you at least talk to her?" Penelope paused and then said, "What do you think Madeline would think about this?" She knew it was a cheap shot, but so much was at stake.

Edward was conflicted. The fact that his sister was angry at him was nothing new and really had no effect on him, but the comment about Madeline hit a chord. He had never felt this way about anyone and he did not want to lose that feeling. He knew Penelope was right, Madeline would want him to work with others to find a cure.

After a long hesitation, "I suppose I could meet with her."

Then Penelope startled both of them by reaching out and giving him a hug which even more amazingly he returned. She then rose, feeling herself tearing up a little, "I'll let her know."

Tabrina was a beautiful woman. She was born on Sedatha, one of the Core planets. She could trace her bloodline back to a royal family that had ruled before the Romulan conquest. She was the daughter of the former Romulan Governor General of her planet. When he returned to Romulus after his term was up, he brought her and her mother with him. Soon after they arrived, he was off to put down a far-off rebellion and died in battle. Her mother, who had really loved him, took her own life when Tabrina was thirty. Like Romulans and Vulcans, Sedathians had long life cycles.

As she moved around her home, trying to stay involved until her husband returned, she thought back over the events that had brought them to their current situation.

She had found work in a weapons factory and lived alone until she was in her fifties. Then she met a dashing Romulan Captain named Venter. They were attracted to each other from the moment they met. Within six months they were married. Their life changed dramatically when Venter was promoted to Tribune and became head of the Praetor's private fleet.

Still, they managed to maintain a degree of privacy and for the most part avoided dealing with the machinations of palace life. But then Venter became an instant celebrity when he was instrumental in turning back the Bovarian Invasion. Suddenly they were thrust into the limelight and forced to become part of the goings on in the palace. Still, they avoided falling into the many temptations and remained faithful to each other.

She, like many others, had watched the meteoric rise of Vandor with some interest. From the first time she met him, she was struck that there was something different about him. It wasn't just the obvious; his looks, his green eyes, or even the talk of his supposed large assets. No, she sensed something more. Like he was part of a plan, that he had a special destiny. As he cut his swath through the women of the palace, she was almost disappointed that he never tried anything with her. Not that she was interested, but would have appreciated putting him down. It also would have given her a chance to observe him further.

When Venter informed her that the Praetor had ordered him to take the fleet and put down the Cordian Rebellion, she had been torn. She was happy for him because she knew that was where he belonged, what he was meant to do, not spend his life as a symbol of the Praetor's power. And she did not fear for his life, her people were stoic in the sense that they accepted the reality of life and what it brought. No, her reasons were selfish, she would miss him.

Then when Vandor shocked them all by taking power, she was almost dismayed that they would be adversaries. She had felt nothing but contempt for the Praetor and the slut he was married to. She was also in awe by the return of Solon.

When she found out that Vandor and Venter had reached a compromise so he could remain in power, she had been stunned. She trusted Venter but was surprised he had apparently gone back on his word. But she was elated when she was allowed to join him after he restored order. The house they moved into was impressive and they had quickly become very happy there, away from the intrigues of Romulus.

They had always avoided the thought of having children, not wanting to raise them in the city, but here, they were strongly considering it.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her Reman maid Mara entered the room. Mara had been with her family as long as she could remember, having also served her mother.

"What is it Mara, has Venter returned?"

"No, my Lady, there is an important message arriving from Romulus for the Governor General."

Tabrina was surprised and curious. What was this about? Then deciding it was just some sort of diplomatic instructions, she would hold back speculating until Venter returned.

"Thank you, Mara, I will inform Venter when he returns. Why do you not begin preparations for supper now? He should return soon."

"I shall do so."

It was two hours later that Venter returned. He had been meeting with the representatives of the Cordian Interim Government to be sure they all agreed on what was expected of them. He knew that any of them would gladly slit his throat if given the opportunity, but for now they were going along, biding their time until they dared launch another attempt to rebel.

After they had exchanged a passionate kiss, Tabrina chided him for being late and said Mara was holding supper. As they headed for the dining room, she remembered the message Mara had mentioned.

"I suppose I had better look at it."

"Can't it wait? Supper is ready and I am really hungry."

"All right." He smiled down at her, "I can never deny you anything."

She took his arm and they entered the room.

After the meal, Venter decoded the message. As Tabrina watched him she quickly realized it was not something trivial, he was obviously affected by it.

With a little trepidation she asked, "What is it? Bad news?"

He looked up from his reading, "It appears we will soon have a distinguished guest. Solon, First Citizen of the Romulan Empire, will be arriving in approximately a week."

"Solon? Here? What would bring him out this far?"

"I doubt he is coming just for a visit. I would say it is probably one of three possibilities. They want me to return to Romulus, they need me somewhere else in the Empire, or…." He looked up at her, "They want me to lead a new attack against the Alliance."

Shran quickly ordered his ships to drop out of warp, to raise their shields and charge all weapons. Although they knew the Romulans must have picked them up, they made no moves, but held their positions above the asteroid.

Both Shran and T'Pol were astonished to see the Romulans appear to be making an attempt to attack the Depot. But then they surmised they were just waiting to attack freighters coming to it. The Depot itself was considered immune to an attack and thus no other Alliance vessels were in range. The closest was the fleet itself, about three weeks away. When they attempted to contact _Enterprise_ , they were not able to do so. That was not unexpected, long range communications were often problematic.

The Asteroid consisted of a rock material that was among the hardest in the Galaxy. It had taken the Vulcan Engineers six months to drill and blast their way through the surface. It had taken two years to hollow out the center to create the Depot. They then coated the inner cavern with Trontanium, a substance much stronger than steel.

They left a small entrance that was guarded by a four-foot-thick Trontanium door. They also made it impossible for an attacker to blast through the opening directly to the inside. They created three chambers, each guarded by a similar door. Each chamber was defended by phase cannons and provided areas for the defenders to fire on whoever reached that chamber. They could also release poisonous gases into each.

The six ships stayed basically in the same position throughout the day. Shran had pointed out that since the Romulans hadn't cloaked, it was apparent that their secret was out.

When Shran contacted the Rigellians asking for their help, he was angry and shocked when they refused, citing their neutrality. After signing off in a way that probably undid what diplomatic gains they had accomplished, he muttered that if the Alliance did lose the war, there would be the consolation of the Rigellians facing the Romulans.

Finally, he lost patience and decided he and T'Pol needed to attempt to discover what the Romulans were up to. Hoping to catch them off guard, they went to Warp and headed directly toward them.

When Manok had heard that there were Alliance ships in the area, his worst fears were realized. He assumed they were part of a larger fleet. But when the two ships dropped out of warp and the hours passed, he came to believe that they were alone. He considered going after them but realized it was vital to protect the drilling. He moved his flagship to guard a path to the drill and deployed the other two ships to protect it.

As the Andorian vessels neared the two protecting ships, they moved as to attack one of them. As the other ship moved to aid their sister ship, Shran made a quick turn and sped by them heading for the flagship. As the two exchanged fire, Shran quickly moved past it and was able to see the drill. He then quickly left the area heading back the way they had come. The other Andorian ship endured fire from the other two ships but was able to break away and escape as the Romulan ships decided not to follow them, but to retain their positions.

After speeding away out of sensor range, the two ships again dropped out of warp. This time their attempt to reach _Enterprise_ and the Fleet was successful.

After explaining what they had seen, they awaited orders.

Archer was stunned, but quickly recovered.

"Could you tell how far they have gotten? How deep the drill has penetrated?"

T'Pol answered, "We recorded the scene as we passed. It was a short time frame, but from what we could tell, the drill had made significant process. We cannot be sure when they started, so are not able with any accuracy to estimate how long it will take them to break through. I believe we have to assume we do not have a lot of time to prevent it."

"You are on the scene; do you have a plan to destroy it?"

Shran spoke up, "Frankly no, Admiral, they appear determined to stay in position and protect it. I doubt we could avoid being destroyed by them before we could get a shot at the drill. We were fortunate we got away the first time and we made no real attempt to get in position to attack the drill."

Jonathan Archer was torn between two individuals, Jonathan Archer, the man who was a friend of Shran and loved T'Pol and the Supreme Commander of the Alliance. In the end, duty called. There was just too much at stake. The loss of the Depot would be a huge, possibly fatal blow.

"These are my orders. You are to do everything possible to see that the Depot is protected." He hesitated and hating himself continued, "Even if that means sacrificing your ships and their crews. Is that understood?"

Shran and T'Pol answered, "Perfectly, Sir."

"Although from what you have said, it is highly unlikely we will be in time, ten ships will leave immediately."

Then he said, "Shran, could I speak to T'Pol alone?"

"Of course, Admiral."

After Shran had moved away, Archer said quietly, "I love you, T'Pol."

T'Pol answered, "I love you as well."

Then signaling that Shran could rejoin them. "We'll be there as fast as we can. Keep me posted. Archer out."

After Archer signed off, Shran and T'Pol went to what passed for Shran's Ready Room to determine what steps needed to be taken. They were joined by Captain Turov of their sister ship.

After informing Turov of Archer's orders, there was a silence for some time. Then Turov spoke up, "Do you think that a shuttle would be enough to destroy the Drill? We could fill it with explosives. Perhaps our two ships could give it enough time to do its job."

Shran shook his head, "It is just too small, one blast would destroy it." After a moment he said, "If you lead the way, it might just be possible you could do enough damage for us to get by them. Even if we are hit, our momentum should carry the ship to the target."

T'Pol said, "I believe that the Romulans are so set on this mission that they would sacrifice their ships to prevent us from reaching the target. But, if we cannot come up with another plan, we will have to risk it. But it must be a last resort because we will not be able to recover if we fail."

She went on, "Do you have any explosives powerful enough to disable the drill, but that could be carried by an individual?"

Shran answered, "We have some RODOK-7 that would weigh about 100 pounds and would at the very least destroy one of the supporting pillars which should cause the whole thing to come down. Why? What do you have in mind?"

"Before we commit ourselves to a suicide mission, I think we should send a landing team to the surface. It appears to be pitch black down there. Do not Andorians have night goggles developed because of growing up underground? Perhaps we could get close enough to plant explosives near the structure."

Shran shook his head, "There is a Romulan Troop Ship out there. From our briefings, I understand they can hold up to 500 Reman soldiers. They are probably at least two or three hundred on the ground."

"That is most likely. But perhaps they will not be expecting us to make such an attempt. I think we should at least reconnoiter the area before committing ourselves to drastic actions."

Shran and Turov looked at each other and shrugged. Shran smiled ruefully, "I guess I can't argue with that logic. Now who will head the Landing party?"

T'Pol answered, "It is my idea and I believe I am the best qualified in case physical action is required."

Shran and Turov argued for a few moments, but it was apparent T'Pol was not to be swayed.

Ten hours later, with their ship hidden from sensors by staying on the other side of the Asteroid, T'Pol and six Andorians teleported down to a part of the asteroid some distance from the drill.

As expected, there was little or no light on the surface of the asteroid. As they move toward the drill, wearing the night glasses, they could see that any light was concentrated around the base of the drill. Assuming that was the Reman camp, they moved toward it. Upon reaching a point with a small knoll that would help protect them from enemy fire or detection, they took stock of the situation.

It still appeared that the Reman camp was confined to a small area around the drill. However, now that they were closer, they could see that there was no path to get close to the drill. There were just too many soldiers. T'Pol was about to order them back to the ship when she spotted an area closer to the camp not occupied by soldiers. Although it was still some distance from the drill, she decided it could be possible to hurl the explosives toward the drill. It was admittedly a long shot but she felt it was worth the risk. Of course, it would take all her Vulcan strength to even have a chance.

Leaving instructions that if anything happened to her, the others were to immediately return to the ship, she took the bag of explosives and set out. She had to take a wide path to avoid being detected.

Then, just as she neared the area where she could launch the explosives and was about to arm them, she heard an explosion and felt a searing pain in her left leg. She crashed to the ground, the bag with the explosives skittering away from her. Looking down at her leg, it took all of her Vulcan control to avoid passing out. Her leg was badly mangled. Then the pain hit and only her ability to control it kept her from screaming out. She realized she had stepped on a mine. She cursed herself for not taking that into account, blaming her arrogance. It appeared she had just hit one edge of it as she was moving past it. She was extremely fortunate she had not been killed. She also was thankful that her suit had closed itself around the wound saving her from being exposed to the numbing cold of the Asteroid. She looked over at where the bag ended up but realized she was in no position to move toward it.

Just then she heard voices and saw two figures approach her. They were carrying lights and as they came up on her, she saw they were Remans. She was gratified that her translator enabled her to understand them. The taller one was speaking. "I knew I heard one of the mines go off. Looks like we have ourselves a spy. Then as he ran the light over her, he whistled and said, "A female spy."

He turned to the other man, "Gurlt, go get a hover stretcher, I don't plan on carrying her all the way back to camp."

Gurlt grumbled but headed back the way they had come.

"So, what do we have here?" He reached out and touched her chest. When she shrank from his touch, he pushed her hands away. "Come on, I just want a little feel, I'm not going to hurt you."

Needing all of her concentration to control the pain, T'Pol was unable to prevent him from touching her. He was roughly fondling her when a voice called out, "What's going on here?"

Her attacker jumped but then relaxed when the figure came into view. "Oh, it's just you Krax. I was just having a little fun here."

"That's Sergeant Krax and what the hell is going on? Gurlt was mumbling about finding a female spy."

Then he shined his light on her. "She's female all right. Wonder what the hell she was planning on doing? He flashed his light around and it showed the bag. He turned to T'Pol, "What is that? What were you up to?"

T'Pol saw no reason to lie. "Those are explosives. I was planning to destroy the drill." Seeing his look of panic, she assured him the explosives were not armed.

Deciding that if they had not exploded yet, they were probably safe, he turned back to T'Pol and shined the light on her face.

"When the Minister hears about this, you'll wish you would have died."

Then his eyes widened and he looked more closely at her. Then, he paled and stepped back. He turned to the other man.

"Damn it, Klat, didn't you recognize her? Do you know who you have here?"

Klat looked blankly at him. Cursing some more, he went on, "It's T'Pol, you idiot, the right hand of the great man himself."

Klat stared at him and then at T'Pol, "It can't be."

"Well it is. I don't suppose you remember the directive that was sent to all ships from the Praetor himself."

Before Klat could answer, he went on, "If any member of the War Council should fall into our hands, especially with regard to Admiral Archer or Captain T'Pol, they are to be treated with the greatest respect and brought to Romulus and the Praetor as soon as your mission permits. Oh, there is also a #100,000 cash reward for the ship that does the capture. Assuming the rest of the directive is met."

Seeing the look on Klat's face, he said, "That's right, Klat you just cost us the money and if you're lucky, you might live through it. Groping her is hardly treating her with the greatest respect."

Klat stammered, "No one knows, you won't turn me in, we have been friends for a long time."

Krax said, "I might take the chance, but you forget," gesturing to T'Pol, "She knows."

Taking this all in, T'Pol spoke up, "If you are worried that I will report this incident, you need not do so."

Klat said suspiciously, "Why would you do that?"

"It would be illogical to do harm to those who are likely to be responsible for your well-being."

Klat turned to Krax, "See, she'll keep her mouth shut."

Krax shook his head, "I have a feeling I am going to regret this; but all right, I won't say anything."

Just then Gurlt and two others arrived with a hover stretcher. Watching Krax and Klat carefully helping T'Pol onto it, he asked, "Why are you being so gentle, get her on there."

Klat turned to him, "Don't you recognize her, you idiot, this is T'Pol, she's worth #100000."

With T'Pol on the stretcher they headed back toward their camp. With Remans fanning out to search the area, the rest of the landing party returned back to the ship which quickly departed before they were detected. As they left the Transporter Room, they were greeted by Shran who looked around and asked, "Where's T'Pol?"

Looking down they answered, "The Romulans have her."

All Shran could think of at that moment was 'Archer's going to kill me.'


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N I still own nothing, just borrowing these wonderful characters. For the first time I have no reviewers to thank. I really do enjoy getting your input but it does not take anything away from the enjoyment I get knowing people are reading and hopefully enjoying my story. Thanks to all of you.**

As they reached the Reman camp, T'Pol saw that there was a pressure dome that provided a place for the Remans to gather outside their suits. But she was taken directly to a waiting shuttle. As the shuttle lifted off, T'Pol realized that she was likely to find out about a long-time mystery, why the Romulans did not show themselves. She had to think ruefully that this was not the way she would have wanted to find out.

But as they docked with the mother ship, she found she was not even going to have that silver lining, as she apparently was in an area of the ship inhabited only by Remans.

Klat, who had accompanied her from the surface, walked by the stretcher as she was taken into what was apparently a sickbay. Immediately, two Reman nurses rushed over and helped from the stretcher onto a bed. T'Pol noted that Reman woman were not as grotesque as the men. That is not to say they would be considered attractive.

One of the nurses was taking control. "You, soldier, get out of here."

Klat tried to protest saying he had been told to guard her.

"You can stand outside the door. We have work to do."

As Klat grudgingly left, she addressed T'Pol. "You must be in terrible pain." She removed the helmet and put a hypo to T'Pol's neck. To T'Pol's relief, the pain began to recede and she could finally relax her control. She didn't even care at the moment if the drug was safe for Vulcans.

After giving T'Pol the shot, she turned to the other nurse, "We need to get her out of these clothes. We're going to have to cut them off. Be careful with that leg, we don't need to mess it up any worse."

The two worked efficiently and T'Pol was soon reduced to her panties.

The apparent head nurse spoke again, "Get her a gown."

T'Pol was soon laying back on the bed her nudity covered by a hospital gown.

After cleaning the leg as much as possible, the nurse was scanning it. "Well, it appears that at least some of the bone structure remains. Send these scans to the doctor."

She told T'Pol, "Just lay back and relax, we will be right here if you need anything."

T'Pol suddenly found herself thinking how Jonathan would feel when he heard about this. He had always been there for her, but this time a rescue seemed highly unlikely. Thinking of being in his arms she laid back on the bed.

Doctor Tornok was Manok's personal physician. He had convinced Manok to allow him to come along on the mission. He now reflected that decision was working out to be an important and provident one. He and Manok were in his office looking at the scans the nurse had taken.

Manok spoke first, "Well, Tornok, how does it look." Manok shuddered as he looked at the condition of the leg. All he could think of is what the Praetor was going to think of all this. Everyone around him knew that he had an obsession with this woman T'Pol. It should have been a huge coup for him have captured her. But he also knew that the Praetor wanted her in pristine condition. A badly mangled leg was not going to set well with him.

Tornok looked up from the scans, "It certainly looks bad, but I believe that there is enough bone structure left for me to get it back as good as new. With these new anti-scarring drugs, you won't be able to know anything was wrong in a couple months."

Manok was relieved. "Thank goodness, we wouldn't want to deliver damaged goods to the Praetor." Looking back at the scans, he said, "It's hard to believe it is that easy to fix."

Tornok snorted, "Easy? I am probably one of three doctors on Romulus that could perform the needed operation. Your bringing me along has turned out to be extremely providential. If you had to wait to get back to Romulus for the surgery, it might be too late."

After the Doctor notified the nurses that he would be performing the operation as soon as possible, they took T'Pol to the operating room and when the Doctor told them he was ready, administered a strong anesthetic that would keep her unconscious well past the scheduled time for the operation.

As it turned out, the operation took eight hours and although Surah the head nurse thought Tornok was a pompous ass, she had to admit it had been amazing to see him at work. She could hardly believe it was the same leg when he finished and had them wrap it in bandages.

Later, as Tornok looked in on her in the recovery room, he saw why the Praetor was interested, she was a beautiful woman. It was a shame he couldn't allow her to thank him. But not only was he not about to take a chance with the Praetor, they were under strict orders to have her only see Remans until they were back home.

When T'Pol awakened, she was amazed at what she could see of her leg. What had been mangled was again apparently straight and looked back to normal although she couldn't see what it looked like under the wrappings. Apparently, their Doctor had some knowledge of Vulcans.

When she was deemed ready to be moved, she was given clothes and equipped with a crutch. Klat escorted her to a cell where they made her as comfortable as possible. After being able to relieve herself, she was given, to her gratification, a vegan meal. She soon settled into a regular routine of having her bandages redone, getting anti-scarring shots, and being taken for a walk accompanied by Klat three times a day. The rest of the time she spent meditating and wondering what Shran and Turov were planning and if they would be successful. She also thought of Jonathan and although logic told her different, she still could not shake the hope he would be able to perform one more miracle.

Shran sat back and sighed. He had just finished one of the toughest conversations of his life, telling Archer that T'Pol was in the hands of the Romulans. Archer had of course been stunned and appeared angry for a moment, but then he had managed to pull himself together. He asked if she had been injured and Shran told him they had heard an explosion but they saw her being carried away alive on a stretcher. Then once again Shran was amazed how Archer could recover and become the Admiral again. He told Shran that nothing had changed, that his mission was still to protect the Depot.

Knowing how much it cost Archer to say that, he quickly agreed. After again asking to keep him posted Archer signed off.

Shran met again with Turov and both of them agreed that they had probably three days left at the most. After trying to think of anything else, they agreed their only hope was to attempt to fight their way to the point where they could destroy the drill from space or crash one of their ships into it. Before leaving on the attack, Shran tried the Rigellians once more. But although they were more contrite, they valued their neutrality too much to interfere.

Then, in last minute desperation, Shran sent out a signal to determine if any Alliance ship was close enough to help them, He and Turov were both stunned when they got a response.

When it was believed after that first battle that they enemy knew of the Alliance's ability to detect their ships, The War Committee had decided to remove five of the science vessels from their positions and have them monitor the space closer to the planets of the Alliance.

The _Vota_ r, commanded by Subcommander Storek, was finishing one of his reconnaissance flights by passing near the Depot. He had not been able to communicate with either the Fleet or the Alliance for some time and thus was surprised at being hailed.

"This is Subcommander Storek, of the Alliance science ship Votar. I am currently 1.4 days from the Great Depot at warp 8."

Shran was disappointed at first it was one of the unarmed science ships, but quickly realized it gave them a much better chance of success. He told Storek to take a path that would leave him outside of Romulan scanners and meet him at a designated point.

When they rendezvoused, Storek and his crew came aboard Shran's ship and he and Turov explained the situation. Storek needed no more information to infer what Shran's plan was. "You hope to use our ship to crash into the drill, knowing the Romulans do not know of our existence."

Shran nodded, "Your ship is small enough that it may just be possible for your vessel to stay close enough to my ship that the Romulans, who will not be expecting three ships, may not sense it until it is too late."

He hesitated and then went on, "We have arranged for a volunteer to pilot your ship. He has flown all types of vessels and I am sure you can teach him what he needs to know."

Storek raised his eyebrows. "You are risking this vital mission by having someone who has never seen my ship fly it? No General, the only one that is qualified to pilot my ship is me. I will not allow you to risk this mission because of some misguided emotion that leads you to attempt to spare me."

Then his second in command spoke up, "To give us a better chance for success, it would be advisable to have a second pilot on board."

The other two crewmembers chipped in. "The best chance lies with having a full crew."

Storek looked proudly at his men and then said, "You have captained a Starship, General, you know neither you nor your crew would never turn your ship over to someone else."

Shran nodded and then simply said, "Forgive me, I should have never suggested such a plan."

He then went on, "This is what I was thinking we need to do."

Manok looked at a viewing screen showing the drill continuing its task. The expert had told him they would break through to the inner chamber in approximately nine hours. The Reman Commander had assured him all the explosives and poisonous canisters were on the asteroid and ready to be utilized as soon as he got the word.

At that moment, his armory officer notified him that the two Alliance ships were headed their way. Manok was not surprised, he knew they would make one last effort. Everyone knew what was at stake and had their orders, He immediately raised his shields and manned his weapons as the other two ships did the same.

Shran and Turov had arranged their attack to best shield the presence of the _Votar_. They immediately attacked the two Romulan ships protecting Manok's ship. They hoped to do enough initial damage to perhaps have the main ship give them some type of opening by moving to assist. Unfortunately, the ships seemed to be evenly matched. Shran finally decided on a last desperate move. He turned his ship and headed toward the asteroid on the side of Manok's ship away from the drill. Manok quickly moved his ship to intercept them, firing at Shran's ship. Shran's ship was suffering damage, but the slight movement by Manok's ship gave them their one chance. The _Votar_ broke out from Shran's ship and headed toward the asteroid. Manok cursed the Elements and immediately turned all his fire on the speeding science vessel. At first the _Votar_ escaped damage, with Shran continuing to fire at Manok's ship, but then their luck ran out. It was hit with a disrupter ray and its weak shields crumpled and all systems including life support were ended. It was now nothing but a large piece of twisted metal. But it still hurtled toward the asteroid. More desperate shots could not divert its course and it crashed into the drill causing tons of metal to fall on the Reman camp below.

Manok screamed in frustration and turned toward Shran. By now, the other battle was also over. Turov's ship had been destroyed. Seeing he could do nothing to help, Shran turned and raced away, quickly going to warp. Turov had not died in vain. One of the Romulan ships was destroyed and the other lie dead in space. Manok was about to follow Shran when he realized he could not afford to take the time for revenge.

He was sure that the Alliance ships had long ago notified the Fleet and it was likely Allied Starships were on the way. He needed to head for Orion space and Romulus. His mission had failed but he still had something to fall back on. He had T'Pol. It might just be enough to save his life. He was about to convey his orders when he realized the remaining Romulan warship was in no shape to travel. He could not wait for them to be able to. Then there was the Troop Ship. It would also slow him down. He hailed them and told them to get the survivors off the asteroid as they were getting ready to leave. When they notified him they were all on board, he immediately turned his weapons on the damaged starship and destroyed it. He then turned and did the same to the Troop Ship. Then, with those obstacles out of the way, he headed for Orion space at high warp.

Jonathan Archer sat in the Captain's chair as his fleet of ten ships headed for the Depot at maximum warp. It took all his efforts to keep his concentration on the task at hand. All the events that were taking place beyond his control constantly ran through his mind. He knew he should feel guilty for insisting on leading this mission himself, leaving Soval in command. He consoled himself that there appeared to be no immediate threats to the Fleet and his fleet consisted largely of Tellarite ships as he had not wanted to weaken the Fleet by taking any Vulcan or other, more powerful ships.

There was also the question of the fate of the Depot. Associated with that was the fact that whether it was saved or not, he had ordered two ship and their crews to do anything to stop it. And one of those ships was commanded by one of his closest friends whose death would also deeply hurt the Alliance.

Then, there was T'Pol. He knew he loved her, but had not completely realized how much a part of him she was. He wondered how he would ever manage to go on without her. But at the same time, he knew he must.

He quickly put that thought behind him and brought his mind back to the task at hand.

Hoshi turned and talked to him, "A message is coming in, it's from Shran."

Archer had no secrets, everyone on the bridge knew what was going on. "Put him on the screen."

Archer noted how haggard his friend looked and braced himself for more bad news.

Shran spoke up, "Admiral, I am glad to report that the Depot is safe, the drill has been destroyed."

Archer took a small breath of relief, but then asked, "What about your ships? Anything new on Captain T'Pol?"

"My ship is heavily damaged and its speed is reduced to Warp 5 as well as extensive damage to my weapons and shields. I have six dead and twenty injured crewmen. I have arranged with Rigel to go to their ship depot on Rigel 5."

After a moment, he went on, "Turov and his ship were destroyed with no survivors."

Archer lowered his head as Shran continued, "We were also aided by the Vulcan ship _Votar_ commanded by Subcommander Storek." He hesitated again, "He and his three shipmates were killed when they sacrificed themselves to destroy the drill."

"We plan to return to the Depot and remove the jamming devices that prevented them from getting a message out. I suggest you send part of your fleet to protect it in case they plan to try it again.".

"After the drill was destroyed, and it was apparent they were not following me, I returned to scanner range. Their main ship destroyed both a damaged Romulan Warship and the Troop Ship. He then left alone with T'Pol presumably aboard."

Archer took a few deep breaths to absorb all he had heard. "I assume they are taking a direct path back to Romulus. Can you give me the path they started on?"

"Actually, Admiral, they surprised me by not heading back toward Romulus but rather a path that would take them to Orion space. I suppose they knew we were in scanning range and didn't want us to know their path."

Archer suddenly had what T'Pol would disdainfully call a 'hunch'.

"No, Shran, I have a feeling that may explain why they were never detected on their way. I think they traveled cloaked through Orion space." He quickly made a decision. "I am going to head directly toward the Orion border and hope to cut them off. I will also alert the Fleet and the science ships to look for them if they are returning another way." He didn't think about what they planned to do if and when they did find them.

He then continued, "General Shran, you have my deepest admiration for your ability to save the Depot." Lowering his voice, "I deeply regret that it took the lives of so many brave individuals to do so. The responsibility for those deaths lies with me."

"Shran, take care. I will send three ships to the Depot. When we have dealt with the Romulans, we will stop by Rigel 5 and check on your progress."

Shran said, "I know you will find her. Good luck, Jon."

Heartfully, "Thanks Shran. Archer out."

Archer then turned to Hoshi, "Get me the Captains of the _Hortar_ , the _Pertan_ , and the _Staric_." He would send two Tellarites and one of his Andorian ships.

When Hoshi told him she had them, he instructed them to proceed to the Depot, stopping at Rigel 5 to get instructions and information from General Shran.

Then he turned to the bridge crew, "Travis, plot a course that will intercept the path Shran gave us before they reach Orion space."

"Yes, Sir,"

He looked proudly around the bridge and then said quietly, "Okay, let's go find her and bring her home."


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N Am still just borrowing these characters and write just for fun. I want to thank Mojo1 and aria1210 for their reviews. I am very interested in what you all have to say.**

It had been over two years since the attack on Earth. A series of simultaneous events were taking place throughout the galaxy. Although not all were directly related, they would play a part as the war progressed.

Jane McBride nervously stood outside Edward's lodgings and lab in London. After fighting so hard for the chance to talk with him about the Foundation, she found she was admittedly a little apprehensive about meeting him. She had of course researched him thoroughly and had been amazed at how intelligent he apparently was. Many writers had referred to him as 'The smartest man on Earth or the smartest man of the century'. But they also talked of his overbearing arrogance, his inability to work with others, and his apparent disdain for all of humanity.

It didn't help that Penelope had not been able to join her as they had planned. There had been an outbreak of Flu that caused several teachers to stay home and she had volunteered to help.

Gathering her courage, she knocked on the door. To her surprise, it was opened not by the formidable man she expected to see but a pretty woman who smiled when seeing her, "Hello, you must be Jane. Come on in. Edward got called away on a quick errand." She put out her hand, "I am Madeline Reed, a friend of Edward's."

Jane smiled and shook her hand, saying, "Glad to meet you." Then, after a hesitation, "Are you by any chance related to Malcolm Reed?"

"I'm his sister." Then she gestured toward the living quarters, "Why don't we get comfortable, Edward should be back soon."

As Jane got seated on the couch, Madeline continued, "Can I get you anything?"

"I would like some tea, if it's not too much trouble."

"None at all, I'll be right back."

Jane looked around her. There was nothing special about the apartment. She got up and walked back to the door and looked at the lab. She had walked over to one of the whiteboards and was absorbed in looking at what was completely foreign to her, when Madeline came up behind her, "So, here you are."

Jane stammered a little, "I'm sorry, I just…"

Madeline smiled, "It's fine, I like to wander in here too. I never understand anything, but it's impressive to see."

They made their way back to the couch and while Jane took a sip of her tea, Madeline said, "I am so sorry about your daughter. I can't imagine how horrible it must be."

"Yes, I miss her. But of course, I had known it would happen and your brother and the crew of _Enterprise_ were wonderful to her."

She then went on, "I am so grateful that Edward agreed to see me. I hope we can work something out. From everything I have heard from the other experts I have talked to he is the best hope we have for success."

"I hope so too. I really like him, but I also realize how he can be."

Just then the front door opened and a moment later Edward looked into the living room.

Madeline immediately rose and went over to greet him, "Glad to see you are back," motioning to the couch, "Jane has been waiting."

Edward came over and as Jane rose to meet him, she held out her hand which he took, "It is an honor to meet you, thank you for so much agreeing to see me."

Edward nodded brusquely and then turned to Madeline, "Thanks for standing in for me. Can you stay for a while?"

Madeline smiled, "Of course. Do you want some tea, Edward?"

"Thanks, I do."

He then turned to Jane, "Well, now that you are here, do you mind if I ask you a couple questions?"

"Of course not." Jane sat back on the couch as Edward folded himself into a chair across from her.

"How old was your daughter?"

"She was two weeks past her twelfth birthday." She smiled proudly, "She lived longer than anyone else who ever had the disease."

Madeline returned, handed Edward his tea, and sat down next to Jane. Edward went on, "If I am right, that was just due to her biology." He then asked, "I assume it went very quickly when she did enter the final stage?"

"Yes, as the doctors explained, the later you start the stage, the shorter it is."

"Had she begun her menstrual cycle?"

Jane, surprised, "No. Why would you ask me that?"

Ignoring her, Edward continued, "Did she ever have sex?"

Jane, now getting a little angry, "Of course not. Why are you asking me these questions?"

Madeline interjected, "I am sure he has a good reason. Don't you Edward?"

Edward looked a little exasperated, but then seeing the look on Madeline's face, looked a little contrite. "Yes. I didn't mean to upset you, Mrs. McBride, I often don't realize how what I say could come out. I assure you I have very good reasons for asking these questions."

Jane, mollified, "I'm sorry the way I reacted. I will gladly answer any questions you have."

"That is all I have for now." After sipping his tea he sat back and continued, "Now, tell me about this Foundation. What exactly do you want of me?"

Now that the moment had come, Jane wasn't exactly sure how she should proceed. She decided it was best to just come out and say what she wanted and what she knew.

"I am working to form a Foundation that will be called the Mercy McBride Foundation with the sole purpose of researching Torrin Disease. The ultimate goal would be a cure, but would also hope would find ways to help those that have it and perhaps lengthen their lives." She hesitated and then looked at him, "Everyone I have talked to says that you are the greatest expert on the disease." She hesitated again, "They also say you are impossible to work with. That you refuse to share your findings and show utter disdain for anyone else's work."

She looked a little apprehensively at him, afraid she had gone too far, but he was just looking at her with a small smile on his face.

She pushed on, "I have already found several individuals who are willing to make sizable donations up front to get us started. I plan to work as hard as I can to see that we will have the funding we need."

Seeing him still looking at her, "I have come to ask you to be part of the team that I am gathering. To work in consort with others, to work together to find a cure."

Edward finally reacted, sitting up and taking a sip of his tea. He then turned to her. "You are correct about my feelings to working with others. I am sure I would find it a waste of my time. I have no time or inclination to spend energy interacting with others. I accomplish much more working by myself. I have no intention of becoming part of a 'Team'."

Seeing the look on her face, and seeing Madeline was about to speak, he continued, "However, after talking to my sister and," he turned and smiled at Madeline who returned it, "I am willing to share my work. I will also attempt to be receptive to the work of others." Seeing them both relax he went on, "I do want to make it clear. I will do my work here and will spend as little time as possible in contact with by fellow researchers."

As Jane quickly assured him that would be completely satisfactory, understanding what a concession it was for him; she continued, "Whenever you wish, you can supply me with a list of your needs and the funding you will need up front." She handed him a card, "These are the contacts for the Foundation, and my personal number is on there as well. Don't hesitate to let us know if there are any problems or anything you need."

Edward then asked, "Just out of curiosity, who are the other members of this 'Team'?"

"Dr, Harrison Baxter, Dr. Martha Davis, Dr. William Bessan, Dr. Marie Chow, and Dr. Ari Patel. Dr. Patel and Dr. Baxter like you will be working independently, the others are setting up a lab in Paris."

In spite of himself, Edward was impressed, she had accumulated some of the finest minds in the world. To his utter surprise, he found himself looking forward to working with them if only to show them what he was capable of.

Edward then rose as the women did also. Shaking her hand, he assured Jane he would soon contact her with his needs.

As she smiled and turned to leave, Madeline said she would escort her out.

At the door, Jane turned to Madeline, "This is wonderful. It is more than I hoped." Then she said in a whisper, "Penelope suggested that you might be part of the reason he has changed his mind."

Madeline just smiled back. "It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we will have reason to meet in the future." They then exchanged goodbyes as Jane left.

Madeline returned to the living room as Edward was taking cups into the kitchen. She smirked and said, "Jane said Penelope told her I was the reason you were such a nice guy."

Edward turned toward her, "I don't think Penelope would ever say I was a nice guy, or Mrs. McBride for that matter."

She smiled and went over to him an put her arms around his neck, "Well, I did paraphrase a little."

He then leaned down and kissed her on the lips which she returned. "Pulling her head back, she smiled seductively and said, "I suppose you expect some thanks for not being your usual arrogant self."

He quickly picked her up and carried her toward the stairs, "What do you think Penelope and Malcolm would say if they knew we were having sex?"

"Frankly, I think they would be stunned, but very happy for us. Now shut up and get us up these stairs."

On Vulcan, The War Finance Committee surpassed 20 trillion Vulcan dollars in disbursements when it notified the Andoria Interplanetary Bank it was transferring 7 billion dollars (the equivalent of 10.3 billion Andorian dollars) in payment of expenses submitted.

Lester Warren was worried. He had been scheduled for several important meetings when Natalie had called and sounded desperate. He had quickly postponed or cancelled everything and was now in his shuttle heading for her home in the Glades.

After contacting the Glades Security Service, he was cleared to enter the development and landed on the pad next to the house. When he knocked at the door, he heard her tell him it was open. As he entered, she called out she was in the kitchen. When he reached the kitchen, he saw her sitting at the kitchen table. To his surprise and distress, an opened bottle of whisky sat on the table with a glass next to it.

He looked around and asked, "Where's Charlie?"

"He's at Myra's," she answered quietly.

He sat down at the table and was glad to see that the bottle appeared full. Struggling to keep his voice calm, he asked, "What's going on, Natalie?"

She looked up at him and he realized how haggard she looked; like she hadn't been sleeping.

She answered, "Last night after Charlie was asleep, I called a local store and had them deliver some groceries and six bottles of the whisky you see here."

Afraid of the answer, Lester asked, "Where are the others?"

She managed a sad smile, "They're in the cupboard, unopened."

He relaxed a little, and then pressed, "What brought this on?"

She looked up at him and ran her fingers through her hair. "Since Jhamel left, I have just felt so lonely. I miss him so much. Why did I tell him to go? He should be here with me and Charlie."

She got up and paced around the table, "He's missing everything, Charlie's first crawling, Charlie's first steps. God, he even missed his first birthday." She looked angrily at him, "How many more birthdays will he miss?"

Then she sat down and put her head in her hands. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes, "Will we ever even see him alive again?" Then she just sat back and looked at the ceiling.

Not knowing what to say, Lester started, "You know that isn't the answer. It will solve nothing. Look what it did to you," then he took what he knew was a cheap shot, "To your mother."

She turned quickly toward him and for a moment he saw anger in her eyes, but it faded quickly to shame and sadness. "Oh, God, I know, Dad, I know. That's what stopped me. That and knowing Charlie needs me. I didn't take a drink and I won't, but I can't go on like this either. I am no good to Charlie the way I feel."

"Have you thought of seeing a therapist. It helped you last time."

"Yeah, after 9 months." Then she shrugged, "I'm sorry I called you Dad. This is my problem; I need to deal with it." Forcing a smile, "Don't worry Dad, I will get rid of the booze, I am not going back there again."

Lester did not intend to leave it at that. He knew it was her pride that was speaking, she didn't want to admit she needed help. It would just mean she was back where she once was. Then he had an idea, maybe a compromise. "How about Ellen, why don't we see if she can come out? It's summer, she could bring Dawn with her. Dawn has only seen Charlie a couple times, but she seemed to enjoy helping out with him. What about it, I think they'd love to spend some time in California."

Natalie knew what he was doing, but maybe it would work out. She and Ellen had always been close since she and her brother had helped her. More like sisters than sisters-in-law. And it would be nice for Charlie to be with another child for a while. "How about Dave? Won't he miss his wife and daughter?"

Lester smiled, "From what I hear; between golf and work, Ellen hardly ever sees him. She probably would like some company too."

As it turned out, Ellen was more than willing to get away for some time, especially after she heard from Lester what Natalie was going through. With Lester picking them up, Dawn and Ellen were sleeping in the guest room two nights later. Charlie was thrilled to see Dawn and have someone to play with and Ellen was just what Natalie needed. Someone who cared for her but was level headed and honest enough to tell her the truth.

Randall Parker, formerly Commander Parker of Starfleet, was sitting in his usual seat at the neighborhood bar, when someone turned the TV to the news. As luck would have it, it was a short documentary on the history of _Enterprise._ It's launching, early adventures, the Xindi expedition, and the current war. The pictures of T'Pol, Archer, and members of the crew flashed across the screen. And then there was Tucker, looking noble and happy. The handsome hero.

For some reason, this was the final straw. Oh, he had hated Tucker for a long time. That smiling, conniving second-rate engineer had stolen his life. That should be him on the screen. He was the one who deserved to be a hero. Instead he was the nobody who was driven out of Starfleet. Oh, they said it was because of his drinking, but he knew who was behind it. Tucker had always envied his talent and he had poisoned Archer against him. Everyone knew that what Archer wanted, Archer got. He had no doubt they had conspired to ruin his career. But with all the hatred he had, he had really never considered doing anything. He was not an evil man; he had a wife and two children who loved him. He had to admit he had not been the best husband or father lately but he would get back on his feet. But now, suddenly, that long simmering hatred and envy became red hot. He didn't know what he would do. He would have to think and plan it out, but Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III was going to pay for what he had done.

Steven Baker looked around the meeting room. It was not anything like the headquarters they had built on the moon, but it would have to suffice. They were in a subterranean basement under an abandoned warehouse located on the piers near San Francisco. The twelve leaders of Terra Prime were using it as a temporary headquarters until they were ready to make their move, to realize the Earth they desired. So much depended on the war. Their best hope was a costly Alliance victory, with all four planets enduring but becoming totally disenchanted with any dealings with the other planets. It would also not hurt if Archer would be a casualty of that war.

His second in command, Richard Bryson came up to him, "We're ready, Steve."

Baker nodded and walked back with him to the table where the other ten individuals waited for them.

As Bryson sat down, Baker stood at the head of the table and spoke up, silencing the others, "Okay, let's get started. There really is not much to discuss. My sources do tell me though that apparently the Romulans are attempting to attack the Grand Depot." Raising his hand to quiet the rumblings that followed, "There is no word yet on whether or not they succeeded."

Homer Gallant, one of their new recruits, spoke up, "How did you find out about this? There has been nothing in the news."

Baker smiled, "That is the big news I wanted to bring to the board's attention." He paused to let that sink in, then said, "We have gained a sympathizer who holds a post within Samuel's government itself."

This time he let the murmurings and reaction last for a time. Finally, one of the other board members spoke up, "Who is it? How does he plan to help us?"

"For the time being, he wishes to keep his identity a secret. Starfleet Intelligence has eyes everywhere." As he saw the looks of mistrust and disappointment in their eyes, he hurried on, "Don't worry, I will let you know soon. We will have plenty of time to make use of his position."

With the others still not completely mollified, he went on, "All right, let's get on to more mundane matters. Robin, how is our recruiting going?"

Robin Revins, one of the two women on the board, answered, "It's going slow. As you say, Harris has SI on its toes. We have to be very careful to be sure those we contact are not spies. But we are making progress, especially among the older generation. They just feel things are moving too fast. They are shocked how the younger generation has seemingly completely embraced these aliens. Many are also repulsed by the thought of interplanetary mating." She smiled and looked at the others, "Let's hope that being away from Earth will cause more such incidents."

As the others smiled back, Baker spoke up, "Anything else?"

Robin answered, "No, Sir."

"All right. If no one has anything else….?" When no one responded, he went on, "Okay, let's wrap it up. Remember to leave in small groups. Thanks for coming."

They all rose and raised their right arms shouting out, "To Terra Prime!"

Before leaving, the members talked amongst themselves, most of it centering on speculation as to who the high official could be.

Venter was entering reports in his PADD when his wife entered the room. When he looked up, she said, "Captain Rous just contacted us, his scanners have picked up four Romulan ships heading our way."

Venter put down his PADD. "It would appear our guest is about to arrive."

Accompanying Tabrina to their communications room, Venter contacted Rous. "Have you heard any more, Captain?"

"Yes, sir. I was just about to contact you. I will put you through to one of the ships approaching."

A moment later, Solon's vestige appeared on the screen. Tabrina was once again struck by his appearance. She had never encountered anyone like him. Unlike other men, he did not seem to have any sexual reaction to her.

Solon was speaking, "Ah, Governor General, it is good to see you. We should arrive in less than two hours. We have much to discuss."

Venter answered, "My wife and I look forward to meeting with you."

Just a little over two hours later Solon, flanked by two of his men, entered the house. Venter and Tabrina came forward to greet them, Tabrina struggling to hide her reaction to him, especially with his two men with him.

Solon spoke first, "The Praetor sends his greetings. He and I both wish to offer our congratulations on how you have taken control of the District."

"Thank you, First Citizen. I would not say they are completely conquered by any means but for now, we do have control." He then motioned to Tabrina, "You know my wife of course."

Tabrina managed a smile and said, "You honor us. Welcome to our home."

Solon nodded, "Thank you." Then he went on, "These are Raff and Donak. They felt they needed to escort me." He turned to them, "You may return to the ship. I will summon you when I am ready to leave."

They both bowed slightly and left without ever saying a word.

Tabrina spoke up, "Is there anything I can get you? Do you wish to rest after your journey?"

"Some water, and if you will show me to somewhere I could be alone, I would like to meditate before we begin."

Venter broke in, "Of course. Tabrina, if you will get our guest some refreshment, I will escort him to the guest room."

After they had gotten Solon settled, they returned to the living room. Tabrina spoke up, "I just can't help feeling strange around that man. There is something about him." After a moment she said, "I didn't realize it before this but his mentioning to meditate… He acts like a Vulcan."

Venter raised his eyebrows but then said, "I have never thought of that before, but I believe you are right. In any case, it is his men that bother me. Solon at least seems to have found the ability to function in society, even though we know what he is capable of. But his men just seem to be no more than assassins."

During dinner Tabrina and Venter looking knowingly at each other when Solon finished his Vegan meal.

Afterwards as they sat in the main room, Tabrina sipping Romulan Ale and Solon with his usual water, Solon was the first to speak. "The Praetor wished to come himself but was monitoring a mission that we are currently involved in." Looking at Venter, he went on, "Manok is leading a mission to destroy the Grand Depot."

Neither Venter nor Tabrina could hide their shock, Venter stammered, "The Grand Depot. I thought that was considered beyond reach."

As Solon explained in detail how the attack was to be carried out, Venter was amazed. He also realized what this could mean to the war. He was a little bothered though that Vandor had used Orion space, it seemed to be too big a risk. Seeming to read his mind, Solon commented, "I was against using Orion space but the Praetor was adamant. He did say he was only willing to do it with such a small contingent of ships."

"In any case, we should know how it has gone when we return to Romulus."

Tabrina and Venter eyes met as the both wondered who was involved in the 'We'.

Then, taking another sip of his water he leaned forward, "But enough of that. You are no doubt curious about what brought me here; although I am sure you have considered the options."

"As you are aware, the war has not gone well. While that may improve greatly if the latest mission succeeds, that will only be crucial if the war continues. The loss of supplies would give us a large advantage in a long war. Unfortunately, we may not have that luxury. Frankly, each day the war continues, the situation in the Empire worsens."

Looking Venter in the eye, "The very future of the Empire outside the Core is at risk. There are uprisings everywhere. Yours is one of the few bright spots and we have had to use our finest commander to accomplish that. Even before the war, the Bovarians had created problems, but the problems have escalated since the war began. The crushing victory of our first fleet, although the total extent of what happened does not seem to be generally known, has still raised the hopes throughout the Empire. Archer's stature has reached epic proportions. His victory has been embellished and the legend of the war with the Xindi has grown into a myth."

"On my way here, I made it my business to visit some of these areas. Our ships are spread thin and already over thirty Governor Generals have been killed. Many more have been forced to leave. The Eastern district near the Orion Syndicate is currently in the hands of the Bovarian Fleet. This has caused the Orions to consider taking advantage of the situation and occupying areas that have been in dispute in the past."

"Reman troops have managed to retain control of many planets, but often supporting warships have needed to be shunted elsewhere leaving them subject to Bovarian attacks."

Venter and Tabrina stared at him. Venter had known there were problems, but never dreamt they were to this extent.

Solon continued, "When we are able to confront the Bovarians directly, we still usually prevail, mainly due to cloaking, but they are becoming proficient at avoiding direct confrontation and utilizing their fleet to attack where we are not present. They have lost ships but apparently reinforcements recently arrived. They are still estimated to have over three hundred ships. Because they could provide a threat to Romulus itself, we have been forced to keep Ruddick's fleet within the Core."

"Another major problem is morale. After really encountering no real opposition for centuries, many soldiers and officers are confused and ineffective dealing with what is going on."

Solon sat back and took another sip. Then looking at Tabrina and then Venter, he said, "The Praetor and I agree that our best hope is a quick victory. That means the destruction of the Alliance fleet."

"We need to regain the position we once held, the feeling of inevitability of our being victorious. The reestablishment of our power. Also, with the war behind us, we could concentrate on regaining control over the Empire."

Venter looked at his wife. They both knew what was coming.

"These are direct orders from the Praetor." Reading from his PADD, "You are to proceed immediately with your fleet to Romulus. After taking time to prepare, you will engage the Alliance Fleet and destroy it. You will either capture or kill, Admiral Archer, General Shran, Viscount Gral, and Ambassador Soval."

He rose and as both Venter and Tabrina rose with him, "You are the Empire's best hope. You saved the Empire from the Bovarians and we know you will accomplish your goal again."

Venter looked at his wife and said, "I thank you for this honor and will convey the same to the Praetor. If what is required is my total commitment and my very life, I will not fail."

Solon nodded and gave the Romulan military salute which Venter returned.

Captain Sseld, commander of the Twentieth Royal Bovarian Fleet, dropped out of warp and with the rest of his thirty-five ships moved into orbit around the planet Garrand near Orion space in the Eastern District of the Romulan Empire. Garrand had been the headquarters of the Governor General of the District but he and his supporting forces had been driven out and it was now used a base for Sseld's fleet.

He had been ordered back to the planet to meet with Grand Commander Ssole, the commander of the entire Bovarian fleet.

Sseld had been in the original invasion fleet that had nearly reached Romulus itself. Those had been heady days, and it had all seemed like a glorious adventure. Now, after all the years that had passed, it was an ongoing battle for survival. Of the original four hundred ships that had launched the first attack, three hundred and twenty remained. Many of them had been repaired and sent back to duty. He had lost five ships of his forty-man fleet himself. Many of the others worked with reduced crews. The two hundred ships that had once been sent home had been forced back into service. Although they were enjoying some victories now and Bovaria was still free, Sseld wondered if it had all been worth it. His once beautiful home planet was now scarred from all the harvesting of its resources, its resources depleted. He and his crew had only been home once since they had first set out. He had once planned to be married but that seemed a distant memory.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he berated himself and returned to his role and his duty.

Twelve hours later, he found himself aboard the Fleet Flagship, sitting across from Ssole. The Grand Commander was an impressive figure. Taller than most Bovarians, he skin was sleek and his eyes were piercing. Ssole was speaking, "I have received word that the Sixth Fleet has regained control of the area surrounding the Rold Province. They destroyed two Romulan vessels and the others retreated. More and more it seems the Romulans are reluctant to fight. It appears they are not sure what they are fighting and dying for."

Sseld had sometimes wondered the same about their mission but kept his tongue split.

Ssole went on, "I asked you to meet with me because the King has a very important mission for you."

Sseld sat up, this was not what he had expected. "You are to take five of your ships and traveling through the area between Orion and Romulan space, locate the Alliance fleet and convey a message from the King to Admiral Archer personally. You are then to wait for an answer and then return to your fleet."

Sseld was stunned. What was this all about? He found himself getting excited. This could be something that could affect the entire situation. He also had to admit a curiosity to meet the man himself.

Realizing Ssole was waiting for an answer, "I will be honored, Grand Commander." Then he tentatively asked, "Am I to know what is contained in the message?"

Ssole smiled, "Of course." But then turned serious, "But it must not leave this room. You may tell others in your crews once you are underway, but only on a need to know basis."

"I understand, Sir."

"The King is asking the Admiral that Bovaria be allowed to join the Alliance. The arrangement would mean that even if the Alliance accomplishes its goals, it will honor a commitment to fight on until Bovaria is also safe. The same conditions will apply to Bovaria. Even if we were to be offered safety for our planet, we would continue to fight until the Alliance goals are met."

Sseld was stunned. Could this be a way out of the seemingly endless war they had become embroiled in? Was there really a hope for freedom and peace for Bovaria? Sseld held no illusions, he knew it was a long shot that the Alliance would agree. And even if it happened, the Alliance could still lose the war. But it was at least something to grasp at and he would see to it that the message was delivered.

Hoshi laid back, totally sated. She couldn't believe what Travis could do to her. She was almost embarrassed at how he could make her feel, how she gave herself so completely to him.

Travis looked over at Hoshi. Every time they were together, every time she allowed him to show how much he loved and cherished her, he had to pinch himself. He was the luckiest man alive. Not only was she beautiful she was so soft and yet so strong. So gentle and caring but still so tough. He had to smile though at the little whimper she made when she came. For some reason she was defensive about it but sometimes he just could not resist kidding her. But then those eyes would flash and he would quickly back off.

When Travis fell asleep after holding her and telling her how much he loved her, Hoshi lay awake, envying his ability to relax his mind. Hers was racing. It had been sixteen days since Shran had told them the Depot was safe and the path the ship carrying T'Pol had gone. Tomorrow they would reach the intercept point. That is, if the ship was there to be intercepted. She trusted Jon, but knew he was acting on a hunch, a feeling that is what they were up to. But what if he was wrong? She tried to console herself with the thought that the entire fleet and all the science ships were also looking to find it, but knew how crushing it would be to them all, but especially Jon if they were on the wrong path. After tossing and turning for another hour, she finally managed to fall into a fitful sleep.

Archer was in bed but he had no illusions of being able to sleep. Finally, he gave up and took a beer from his fridge and sat down, slowly taking a few drinks. He looked over at Porthos, sleeping soundly and not for the first time, wondered how it would be like to be a dog. No responsibilities, no worries. Then his thoughts again turned to T'Pol. What if he was wrong? What if there was no ship? No, it would be there, it had to be. Deciding to take a walk, he put on a sweat shirt and went out into the corridor. Finding his way to the Mess Hall through the quiet halls of the ship, he was surprised to see Trip there. He was startled when he realized he was also surprised that Kathy wasn't there. He hardly ever saw them apart.

Trip looked up and saw Archer coming through the door. He had to smile to himself, he wasn't the only one that couldn't sleep. Although he no longer had any romantic feelings for T'Pol and was so happy that she and Jon had found each other, he surprised himself a little on how much he would miss her.

As Archer came to the table, Trip greeted him, "Hey, Jon. Here, have a seat."

As Archer sat down, Trip asked him if he wanted some coffee. Upon receiving a definite yes, he went and got a cup and sat it in front of Jon.

They sat for a while in silence, sipping their coffee, when Archer broke the silence. "You couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"No." After a moment he said, "I would really miss her, Jon. I guess I didn't realize how important she was to me." Then realizing how that might sound he said, "Not that I have any feelings for her any more. You know how happy I am for you two."

Archer smiled, "Don't worry Trip, I know." After a moment he continued, "We'll get her back, Trip. Whatever it takes."

Trip nodded and they sat quietly for a time. Then members of the crew started to come in and they realized it was morning.

Everyone was tense on the bridge as the expected time for intercept came and went. Then, when Archer wondered if they should turn back, Ensign Hansen, working at T'Pol' station, excitedly exclaimed, "I have her Captain, she is right on the path." But then she said, "But she is ahead of schedule, we won't intercept until she crosses into Orion space."

Archer hesitated, but there was never really a doubt in his mind. "How long will they be in Orion space if we change course to intercept?"

Hansen didn't hesitate, "Approximately six hours, sir."

Archer turned to Travis, "Set an intercept course, Travis."

Travis quickly answered, "Yes, Sir."

Archer then turned to Hoshi, "Put me through to the rest of the fleet."

When she was ready, Archer began, "This is Admiral Archer. We have sighted the ship, but it will enter Orion space before we can intercept. I am going in after her. All other ships are to drop out of warp and stay out of Orion territory. Under no circumstances; I repeat, under no circumstances will any other ship follow me in now or later. Archer out."

Archer then turned to Malcolm. "Malcolm, when they reach Orion space, I am sure they will cloak. I know when they are in that state, it is extremely difficult to pinpoint a target. But we need to try to disable their engines. I know of no one else I would want doing it." He paused and then said quietly, "You are doing this under my orders. If something happens, it was my decision, my responsibility. Is that understood?"

Malcolm nodded, "Understood, Sir." But they both knew if the ship was destroyed, they would both have to live with it.

Manok stood on the bridge. They were only about an hour from crossing into Orion space. He had stayed uncloaked up until now because he wanted to be able to defend themselves if they had run into an Alliance ship.

He had just given the order to cloak when his armory officer informed him that seven Alliance ships were on an intercept course. "Will they reach us before we get to Orion territory?"

"No, Minister."

Manok relaxed a little. Surely, they wouldn't risk bringing Orion into the war by entering their space uncloaked.

They had been in Orion territory for about four hours when Manok was informed that six of the seven ships had dropped out of warp but the seventh had entered Orion space and would intercept them in approximately two hours. He cursed the Elements. In the battle with Shran, he had suffered slight damage to his engines that prevented him from reaching top speed. He knew he couldn't outrun them. He had decided he needed to decloak when the same officer excitedly said that six Orion ships were heading for the scene.

Manok had to smile. Luck was with him after all. The Alliance vessel would be forced to leave and they could escape. But when he checked his viewing screen, he saw that the Alliance vessel was now in viewing range and apparently not turning back. Then to his utter amazement, he realized it was _Enterprise_!

They were approaching the ship and Malcolm had gone to battle status when Ensign Hansen sadly informed him that six Orion ships were approaching.

Archer turned to Malcolm, "Do you have them? Will we reach the Romulans before they get here?"

"Yes, Admiral."

"All right. Travis, continue on course. Malcolm, let me know when we are in firing range."

A short time later Malcolm indicated they were in range.

"Okay, Malcolm, do the best you can. Fire!"

Perhaps it was providence, perhaps luck, or Malcolm's skill, but the cannon blast was right on target, disabling the Romulan's engines leaving them dead in space. But there was enough power for the ship to remain cloaked.

Manok cursed but felt some relief that he was still cloaked. Maybe they could get out of this yet.

As Archer smiled and turned to Malcolm, "Well done," he ordered Travis to drop out of warp. He then asked Hansen if she could scan the ship for Vulcan life signs. As he expected, it was not going to be that easy.

Then Hoshi announced they were being hailed. Archer resignedly said, "Put it on the screen."

A view of the bridge of the Orion cruiser appeared with a large green Orion dominating the picture.

"Admiral Archer. It is you. I couldn't believe it, even when I recognized _Enterprise_. Now, will you explain what the Supreme Commander of the Alliance is doing in Orion territory."

"We are in pursuit of a Romulan warship with an Alliance officer a prisoner on board."

"The Orion smirked, "What Romulan warship? All I see is you."

"He is still cloaked. We disabled his engines before he was fully cloaked and he is lying dead ahead of us." Archer knew it sounded lame, but had no intention of letting the Orions know about their ability to see cloaked ships.

Captain Ornok was torn. The story seemed farfetched but he just couldn't believe that Admiral Archer would just wander into their territory. Of if he did, why would he tell such an outlandish lie? Turning to his communications officer he told him to broadcast over the entire area. When he told him it was ready, he called out, "This is Captain Ornok of the Orion Cruiser _Balnar_. In exactly ten minutes, I am going to unleash a barrage of weapon fire into the area in front of the Earth ship. If there is a Romulan ship cloaked, I suggest you show yourself."

Ornok was not overly surprised when a Romulan warship suddenly appeared.

There was a long period of silence as the eight ships sat in space. Then the _Balnar_ hailed the Romulan ship.

"Well, who are you and what are you doing in Orion territory?"

Manok answered, "I am the Romulan Minister of Military affairs and was attempting to avoid being destroyed by a fleet of Alliance ships. Once I had avoided them, I planned to leave your territory as soon as possible."

Ornok was shocked. A supreme commander and a Minister of the Romulan Empire. What in the name of Goonuk was going on?

"Do you have an Alliance prisoner aboard?"

Manok hesitated but then decided he should tell as few lies as possible. "We have a prisoner of war who was captured trying to kill out soldiers."

Then Manok continued, "If you allow us to repair our engines and give us cover to return to the Empire, I can assure you the Praetor will reward you with a large number of individuals to be used as slaves."

Ornok hesitated then asked, "As many as say 500?"

Manok knew that with a chance to get T'Pol, Vandor would gladly give them as many slaves as they wanted. "Very well. Yes, 400."

Ornok smiled, '500 slaves'? That would be a huge feather in his cap. It would also be good politics to do a favor for the Praetor. His smile faded when he thought of Archer.

Telling Manok he would get back to him, he hailed _Enterprise_. He knew he should probably contact his superiors, but they would just get in the act and cut him out.

"Archer here."

"Admiral, I have decided to be lenient. I will allow you to safely exit Orion space and will forget this incident ever happened. But I need you to do so immediately."

"How about the Romulans?"

"They are not your concern. You are wasting time."

Archer considered, what was going on? He surmised that the Romulans had made some kind of deal. He supposed he should give up, but he knew he wasn't going to do that.

"What about my officer?"

"He is a prisoner of war. You will have to leave him behind."

"What if I don't want to leave and plan to stay here until I get her back."

Ornok was getting angry. So Archer was supposed to be a big deal. Now he was just someone in his way and outnumbered six to one. "If you don't leave, you will be destroyed."

"You are going to commit the Syndicate to a war with the Alliance? You must have a lot of power for a ship's captain."

Suddenly, Ornok was getting worried. This was getting too complicated.

Archer continued, "I ordered the rest of my fleet to stay out of this, but I am not sure how they will react. They may just decide to take revenge."

Ornok ordered a scanner sweep and turned a little less green when he heard there were seven Alliance warships less than six hours away. He knew Enterprise would not go down without a fight and he could not outrun ships probably capable of warp 7.

"You're bluffing, Archer. Your superiors do not want war either. After all, you are in our territory."

In spite of the situation, the rest of the bridge crew could barely hide a smile when Archer continued, putting a smug look on his face, "Ornok. That's your name isn't it? You seem to forget who I am. I am a legend. I am the man that saved the galaxy. Hell, I saved your lousy planet. I carried the Katra of the greatest Vulcan. I am revered on hundreds of planets. I am the Supreme Commander of the Alliance. Do you really think you can get away with killing me and not pay for it?"

Ornok knew he was in over his head. He decided he needed to contact his superiors.

 ** _Two weeks before_** **.**

 _T'Pol was in her cell when the ship was shaken. She immediately realized it was weapon fire. Shran was apparently making his move. She felt the ship move and knew it was returning fire. Then, it was over. When Klat came down the hall, she asked him what had happened. He acted like he wasn't going to say anything but then he shrugged. He had come to enjoy the time he spent with her. She was beautiful and had kept her promise not to mention what he had done. He had also grown to admire her. Then there was the fact that like many Remans, he was not overly fond of Romulans. After all they had conquered his planet and basically forced the Remans to do their dirty work, holding their planet hostage. He supposed he should blame her because her Alliance had killed a lot of his friends, but that was a part of war._

 _"_ _There was a big battle. One of our ships and one of the Alliance ships were destroyed and another Romulan ship damaged. The drill was destroyed and a lot of my fellow Remans were killed. The other Alliance ship escaped."_

 _T'Pol was torn. She was relieved that the Depot was saved but it had apparently come with a heavy cost. She also felt guilty that she hoped it was Shran that had escaped._

 _Klat then left saying everything was in turmoil and they were getting ready to leave so there would no changing of the bandage or anything else._

 _It was a few hours later that Klat returned. T'Pol had never seen him like this. He was completely distraught, seemingly caught between anger and grief. Thinking it may be directed toward her, she pulled herself together as best she could and prepared to defend herself._

 _But then he began to rant. "He just killed them. Killed them in cold blood. He herded them on their ship like cattle, telling them we were leaving. Then just destroyed them. Just to save a few hours in his escape. Two hundred soldiers, just slaughtered."_

 _After a time, he had cooled down slightly and T'Pol could piece together what had happened._

 _Soon after that the ship went to warp. For the next couple weeks, things returned to some semblance of normality. They went back to their daily routine. But Klat had changed. He spent most of his time with her, telling her of his family on his home planet, how long it had been since he had been home. He would sometimes ramble about those that had been killed._

 _Then, one day as they returned to her cell, the ship shuddered violently and it took both of them to stop themselves from crashing into the walls of the cell. Then she felt the ship drop out of warp and stop. She would never know how but she immediately knew. 'Jonathan'._

 _Klat struggled to his feet, "What the hell happened?"_

 _"_ _We were hit by weapon fire. Apparently, the engines have been disabled."_

 _Klat gestured, "Stay here, I'll see if I can find out what's going on."_

 _It was some time later that Klat returned. He knew he should be angry at who attacked their ship. But thinking of the situation that butcher found himself in had to make him smile. As for himself, he had a Reman soldier philosophy. You really never expected to live to old age. Besides, he couldn't wait to see the look on T'Pol's face when she heard who was out there._

 _T'Pol was aroused from her meditation when Klat entered the cell. "You will never believe who attacked us, who's sitting out there right now. T'Pol had to smile to herself because she already knew, but just sat silently. Klat continued, "It's_ Enterprise _and Admiral Archer!"_

 _T'Pol managed to appear to be surprised. Then Klat got serious. "There are also six Orion ships out there. I don't know what the hell is going to happen."_

 _T'Pol was shocked, 'They were in Orion space? Jonathan had followed them in.' Now she was afraid for him and Enterprise. He should not have been so zealous. But deep down, she knew she would do the same for him._

 _Klat looked at her and marveled that Archer had risked himself and his ship to try to rescue her. He compared that to Manok who had destroyed one of his own ships and two hundred Remans to save his own skin. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do. He headed out of the cell and told T'Pol to follow him. When she asked where they were going, he just told her he was getting her out of here. They moved silently down the halls to where the escape pods were. He signaled her to get in and then got in beside her. T'Pol was stunned. She turned to him, "Why are you doing this? You don't have to do this."_

 _He gave her a small smile, "Somehow, I do."_

 _The pod moved quickly away from the ship. Suddenly, T'Pol was encased in light and then disappeared. Klat barely had time to realize what had happened and give a small smile of satisfaction, before a disruptor blast completely destroyed the pod._

 **Back to the present**.

Archer was sitting, waiting for Ornok's next move when Hansen said, "Admiral, something is leaving the Romulan ship." Then she said excitedly, "There are Vulcan life signs aboard."

Archer immediately told her to send the coordinates to the transporter and called down to have them lock on those coordinates. It seemed like forever, although it had only been a few minutes, when the transporter room excitedly called back, "We have her, Admiral, we have her."

As the bridge crew erupted in cheers, Hansen noted the Pod had been destroyed. Archer, rising to his feet, "Travis, get us out of here! Maximum warp!"

Travis needed no urging; _Enterprise_ quickly turned about and went to warp heading out of Orion space. Archer was already on his way to the exit, calling back, "Malcolm, you have the Com."

Ornok had just given instructions to get his superior on the line, when he was notified, "Captain, _Enterprise_ is leaving, it's gone to warp."

Ornok was surprised but then smiled. He had won. He had made the great Jonathan Archer back down.

Manok was yelling, trying to figure out what had happened. "Who fired that disruptor? I never gave an order." Then, a member of the crew called out, "The Remans just contacted me, T'Pol is gone."

Manok paled, "Gone, she can't be," but he knew she was.

Then he had a terrible thought, she must have been in the pod. They had killed her.

It was over now, the Praetor would have all their heads. Then it got worse.

"We're being hailed."

When Manok resignedly told him to put it through, Ornok's smiling face appeared on the screen. Manok was just glad Ornok couldn't see him. "Well, it appears that Archer has decided to leave the scene without his officer. Now we can proceed with our business. I would rather not wait for you to finish your repairs before we get going, so will arrange to have you towed until the repairs are done. I look forward to the completion of our business when we reach the Empire. I assume this is all satisfactory to you."

Again glad that Ornok couldn't see the look of contempt that Manok had on his face, he answered, "Of course, Captain, we await your further instructions."

Manok sat in his office, enjoying a bottle of forbidden Andorian Ale that a trader friend of his had given him in return for a favor. He mused that whatever their faults, Andorians certainly knew how to produce an excellent drink.

The whole idea of having the Orions escort them back home, and having a ransom of some 500 slaves had been tenuous at the best. But now, with there being no possible scenario that would save his life, Manok wanted no part of it.

What had happened? Where had it all gone wrong? He had never wanted the job in the first place. His wife had pushed him into it, saying what an honor it was. Oh well, now she could find someone else to nag.

Reflecting that this was his last bottle, he took that as a further sign that it was time to put an end to all of this. Reaching over he activated a key on his computer. "Computer, activate final destruct sequence, no overrides. This is Minister Manok, code 7 sign 8 final code 14589. Activate."

Sitting back, he filled his mug for the last time. Just as he finished it off there was a huge ball of light, then everything went black.

Ornok jumped from his seat as his ship was rocked for a moment. "What was that?"

"The Romulan ship exploded."

Ornok raged, "Put it on the screen." He then stood and watched, realizing that everything was lost. There would be no 500 slaves. Cursing, he ordered his fleet back to their home base, reflecting on what had just happened. He decided there was no need to prepare a report for his superiors.

Archer raced down the halls, heading for the transporter room. He beat Phlox to the door and rushed inside. His heart caught as he saw her. He quickly noticed the bandage on her leg but then returned his look to her face and into her eyes. He wanted to crush her to him, to put his mouth on hers, but he sensed that although she would want that too, it would also be uncomfortable for her with others present. Instead he stopped and reached out his fingers for a Vulcan kiss. He saw her give her smile and extend her fingers as well. As the crewman and Phlox looked on, their fingers came together. He felt her love, her joy of being back together, and to his wonder, her longing.

T'Pol's heart had almost stopped as he came through the door. She wanted to rush to him, to have him embrace her, to crush her lips against his, but she was still Vulcan and felt restrained by the others in the room. Then to her amazement and pride, Jonathan reached out his hand as a Vulcan would. She quickly stood up and intertwined their fingers. She felt his love, his relief, his joy, his concern, and then as she felt her body shudder, his lust.

They stayed that way for some time as the crewman and Phlox looked on in amazement and awe. Then, Trip burst into the room and they reluctantly parted. But both knew that something had happened, that they had moved forward another step, that more than ever they knew they were not two but one.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N Thanks to EroSlackerMicha and Mojo01 for their reviews. Reviews really do make my day. At the same time, I take great joy that people are still on this journey with me.**

 **I am still just borrowing these characters from their rightful owners.**

As T'Pol and Archer broke apart, Trip rushed over to her; and as only the second man who she not only allowed but welcomed his touch, he softly put his arms on her shoulders and looked into her eyes, "God, it's good to have you back, we all missed you, I missed you."

T'Pol laid her hand softly on his arm, "It is most satisfactory for me to be back, I missed all of you as well."

Then he looked down at the bandage, "What happened, are you all right?"

"I am fine Trip, I sustained an injury when I was captured, but it is almost completely healed."

Just the Phlox broke in, "I will be the judge of that. T'Pol, I need you to come to sickbay immediately."

As Trip stepped back, T'Pol nodded and once more met eyes with Archer. He spoke up, "I should return to the bridge. Doctor, let me know when you have finished."

"Of course, Admiral."

Then turning back to T'Pol, "Do we need a stretcher?"

"No, Doctor, I am quite able to walk."

Everyone then exited the transporter room, Phlox and T'Pol heading for sickbay, Trip to Engineering and Archer to the bridge.

When Archer reached the Bridge, everyone wanted to hear about T'Pol. Informed she was all right and being checked out by Phlox they all were relieved and smiling, saying how glad they were and retuning to their stations.

A few minutes later, Hoshi informed Archer that they were receiving an encrypted message from Ambassador Soval. Once again telling Malcolm he had the Com, he went to his ready room. Soon, Soval's visage appeared on the screen.

"Admiral Archer, it is satisfactory to see you. Have you made progress in finding Captain T'Pol?"

"Yes, we have recovered her. It necessitated entering Orion space, but we will be returning to the rest of our ships in approximately five hours."

Archer had to smile as Soval could not quite completely mask the relief that crossed his face. "That is most satisfactory, Admiral. I will convey that information to the Fleet."

Then he turned serious, "May I ask what you intend to do when you rejoin your fleet?"

"We will be heading to Rigel 5 to check on the condition of Shran's ship and hopefully he will be able to return to the fleet."

"I have been in contact with General Shran. He still needs to do some repairs to his weapons and shields but his engines have been repaired. Apparently, he can do the remaining repairs on his own."

"Admiral, I believe it would be prudent for you to return to the Fleet immediately. All of our intelligence sources are warning that the launching of a new Romulan attack is imminent."

Archer thought for a moment. "Agreed. I will also have General Shran leave immediately also. We will need him if they do attack. I will contact you when we are on our way."

When Trip reached Engineering, he was greeted by Kathy who asked, "How is she?"

"She's fine. She evidently was hurt when they captured her, but seems to be okay."

Kathy was surprised at and ashamed with herself. She certainly had no romantic aspirations for Trip, but she had found herself bothered that Trip had seemed to drift away from her after T'Pol had been captured. It appeared he wanted to deal with it alone. Although she knew his past involvement with her, she had still found herself to be surprised at how much her capture had affected him. She was also a little hurt that he hadn't wanted her to be there for him.

Trip seemed to read her mind, "Hey, I'm sorry I have been kind of distant lately, it's just that I needed to be alone. I didn't want to drag you down with me."

"That's okay, Trip, I understand." After a hesitation, "You know I am here for you though, don't you?"

"I do Kathy, I do, but I just needed to deal with this myself. I guess I didn't realize how important she still was to me."

As they entered sickbay, Phlox told T'Pol to have a seat on one of the bio-beds. After she was seated, he carefully removed the bandage. He then scanned her leg from every angle. He looked up at her, "You apparently suffered some serious damage. The work that was done to correct it is amazing. I doubt if I could have done as well myself. It shows a profound understanding of Vulcan anatomy."

"Yes, Doctor, I was very surprised when I awoke. I was told it was done by a Romulan doctor."

"It is already starting to heal. It should be as good as new in a couple months. I did notice however a great deal of some kind of drug in the leg."

"That is undoubtedly the Anti-scarring drugs they injected me with."

Phlox showed his surprise, "Anti-scarring?" He rescanned her leg, "We have some such drugs on Denobula, but they do not seem to be as effective as these. I would like to take a biopsy sample if you do not mind. Not only could I learn more about them, but should also be sure they do not have any long-term effects."

"I have no problem with that, please proceed."

After he had finished, he told T'Pol he did not feel the bandage was still necessary. He told her she could return to active duty, but to check back with him weekly or if she encountered any discomfort.

T'Pol quickly agreed and thanking Phlox, she could barely hide her satisfaction at being able to return to duty.

She quickly went to her quarters, showered, donned her uniform and went to the Bridge.

As she entered, she could not hide her feelings of how glad she was to be back with them. The Bridge crew greeted her warmly with Hoshi not able to resist giving her a hug.

She then turned to a smiling Jonathan Archer, "Admiral, I have been cleared for duty. With your permission, I will return to my post."

Smiling even more broadly, Archer answered, "Very well, do so." As she turned, he continued in a voice that could not hide his feelings, "It's great to have you back, Captain."

She turned and giving what passed for her smile, "It is most satisfactory to me as well."

When _Enterprise_ exited Orion space, everyone felt relief. Archer had contacted Shran and it turned out that several events had taken place and some decisions had been made. The latest twelve new ships were scheduled to leave Earth in two weeks, so it had been decided that the Tellarite ship would wait for them at the Depot and then proceed with them to rejoin the fleet, leaving one ship to protect the Depot. Meanwhile, the Andorian ship would join with Shran and return immediately to the fleet.

Shran and T'Pol had a conversation with each expressing their satisfaction that both had survived, with T'Pol telling Shran she grieved with him over the loss of Captain Turov and his crew.

Shran had also informed Archer that there was another addition to the Fleet, a hospital ship. The Alliance had converted a freighter into a ship carrying doctors from every planet, hundreds of beds, and medical shuttles to bring the wounded to the ship.

The thought of the need for such a ship and the first deaths suffered by the Alliance brought home to everyone the reality of the war.

The four slain crewmen from Shran's ship were cremated and released into space while a sample of their blood was preserved to be placed on the Wall of Heroes.

As the fleet began their return to the main fleet, Archer found himself at the door of T'Pol's quarters. He knew he probably shouldn't be there, but he also knew he had to be. When she asked him to enter, he saw she was wearing her night outfit. He suddenly wondered if this was such as good idea. But then she came toward him and he took her in his arms and gave her a passionate kiss, which she eagerly returned. Then, without conscious thought, his hand moved up and touched her breast. When she involuntarily gasped, he quickly pulled back, stammering, "I'm sorry, I…."

T'Pol reached out and put a finger on his mouth to silence him, "You do not need to feel sorry, I have long desired for you to do that."

They stared at each other both breathing heavily, each with their own thoughts. T'Pol had been stunned at the rush of desire that simple touch had brought. She wondered what would have happened if he had not stepped back. She also wondered if she was being unfair to Archer and herself. He was not Vulcan, should she hold him to Vulcan norms? Perhaps it was not important that they marry. She knew one thing, if he were to touch her again, she had no desire to stop him.

Archer was fighting for control. Why had he done that? He smirked to himself, because he wanted to, because he wanted to show T'Pol how much he loved her, desired her. But he was also angry with himself. T'Pol had made it clear she wanted to be married, that it was important to her as a Vulcan. Even if she should change her mind, he could not allow her to do so. He must never give her any idea she needed to stop being Vulcan. He did not love her in spite of her being Vulcan, he loved her because she was Vulcan, because that is who she was.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at her and said, "I should go."

T'Pol was disappointed but also relieved.

Archer continued, "I don't think I should do this again. Not because I don't want to, not because I don't want to be with you, because I do, but because I love you too much to have you betray what is important to you and therefore important to me."

T'Pol stared at him and then said, "Thank you, Jonathan." But then she gave him a look that was very human, "But part of me wishes strongly that you were not able to show such restraint."

Archer gave a small, sad smile, "Goodnight, T'Pol" as he reached out two fingers.

She intertwined her fingers with his, "Goodnight, Jonathan."

Archer headed for his quarters, knowing he would need some self-gratification and/or a cold shower.

T'Pol prepared herself for some intense mediation.

A month later, Archer and his fleet had returned to the Fleet with Shran arriving soon after, having completed his repairs enroute. Eleven new Earth ships later arrived, bringing the Earth total to thirty-nine along with the hospital ship. The War Council and Phlox had taken a tour of the _Clara Barton_ , coming away impressed.

Captain Hernandez spent long hours working to incorporate the new ships into her fleet.

Seven of the Vulcan scout ships were moved closer to Romulus.

They all agreed that had done what they could. The next move was up to the Romulans, all they could do was wait.

As Venter and Solon passed through the palace, Venter reflected on what had brought him to this point, and what lie ahead. Although he was supremely confident in his abilities and his men, he knew that there also a whole series of variables at work. The major one of course was the loss of the advantage of cloaking. There also was the fact that though he believed he accurately knew the capabilities of the Andorian and Tellarite ships, there was some question how he would match up against the Vulcans. The real question however was the Earth fleet. No one had ever really faced them; in fact, they had not even existed as short a time as two years before. Now it was estimated they had up to forty ships.

Then of course there was Archer. Venter did not believe in luck or any special destiny. But it was hard not to wonder looking at what Archer had accomplished. It was widely accepted that he was the force behind the Alliance, that he had accomplished what even a few years ago would have been deemed impossible, Andorians, Tellarites and Vulcans fighting as a team. Hell, five years before Earth was largely unknown, and now was a major player.

Then there was the Xindi saga. Although he doubted much of what supposedly had gone on, there was no doubt Archer had done a miraculous job.

Shaking his head internally, he was amazed at what he was thinking. In the end, Archer was an inexperienced leader of a badly flawed fleet, that had never really been tested. No, Archer was no demigod, he was a man who could apparently inspire others. But that would not be enough when it came to the battle itself. Venter knew he was the more experienced leader and his fleet was better trained and more powerful.

After he and Solon had passed through security and entered the Praetor's office, the Praetor rose to greet them, "Ah, Venter, welcome back."

With a slight bow, "Thank you, excellency."

"Have a seat."

As he and Solon sat down, Valdore also returned to his seat. He then continued, "I know that Solon informed you that we had undertaken an attack on the Grand Depot based on a plan submitted by Minister Manok. Unfortunately, I have learned that it ended in failure and it is believed Manok and his ships were destroyed."

Thinking he was expected to speak, Venter answered, "That is unfortunate. I must admit, I was intrigued by the plan as Solon explained it to me."

"Yes, but it should not have been implemented. As I am sure Solon told you, we do not have the luxury of fighting a long war. Each day, the threats against the Empire grow. Much of our past success depended on the image of inevitability, the certainty of victory, that we were unstoppable."

"That image is under serious attack. The worst part is that our own commanders and soldiers are beginning to have doubts. We need to end this war now. With the end of the Alliance and Archer, much of the resistance will lose its momentum. But perhaps even more importantly, it will enable us to concentrate on regaining control of the Empire." He hesitated and then continued, ruefully, "Ironically, we are probably not ready to gain immediately from a victory as far as their home planets are concerned. We first need to get the present Empire in control before attempting to take control of the Alliance planets. But the destruction of their fleet will give us time to do both."

He sat back and turned to Venter, "Enough of that. What do you need? How long before your fleet will be ready?"

"There is really nothing I need. I would like to be sure that all of the fleet is in its best condition. But I was thinking, Is there anyone I can speak to about the Alliance?"

"I am not sure how much we really know. Actually, your best bet may be to speak with some traders that also deal with the planets of the Alliance. You would have to go outside the Core to find them."

"I will do that. I will leave my second in command, Centurion Baldur, to work with the fleet." He hesitated and then said, "Bearing any great changes, I should expect we could leave in three weeks."

Valdore started to rise. As the others followed suit, "Oh, I almost forgot. We have sixty more ships that can accompany your fleet. Captain Darden has recently returned from the Western District and I prevailed upon him to join the operation. If you have no objection?"

Venter struggled to hide his reaction. He really had no interest in adding ships. Much of his success was built on the iron discipline of his fleet. He had complete faith in his commanders and what they could accomplish. He did not want to add another variable. On the other hand, could he really turn the Praetor's offer down? After all, it was sixty more ships and Valdore gave the distinct impression he would not be pleased if his offer was refused.

"Of course not, sir, I welcome his help."

Seeing the Praetor's reaction, he knew he had made the right decision.

Leaving Baldur in charge of preparing the fleet, including working with Darden, Venter took his flagship and traveled to a planet outside the core and still in full control by the Empire to talk with traders.

Out of uniform, he took crewman Torook with him and traveled to a local gathering place for outsiders. Nursing a Romulan Ale, he struck up a conversion with a Rigelian trader named Tronk. He found he did not need to pry, everyone seemed to want to talk about the war and especially Jonathan Archer.

"I actually met him once."

"Really, where was that?"

"On Rigel Six. He was attending a trade convention before the war."

"What did you talk about?"

The trader grew evasive, "Well, I didn't actually meet him face to face."

"What did you think of him?"

"He was impressive even back then. You could see his opinion carried weight." He was about to go on when he seemed to realize where his was and who he was talking to. "Of course, that was before he got involved with this so-called Alliance."

"Not too impressed with them?"

"Course not. How could they think they would have a chance against the Empire? They have just been lucky so far."

"I have heard they had achieved some convincing victories."

Looking like he was worried about being tricked, he tentatively answered, "I suppose, but I hear the Romulans are going to send this Venter fellow after them. That should be the end of it."

"Have you been to any of the Alliance home planets? What are the people like?"

"I've been to them all. Didn't stay long on Vulcan or Andoria. One's a furnace and the other one freezes your balls off. The Andorians are always in a hurry, but loosen up if you can get them drunk. The Vulcans are just strictly business. Tellar is all right, but you get tired of arguing about everything. I think I like the Earth the best. They are usually pretty friendly and willing to work out a deal."

"Have you been to any of them since the war started?"

"Yeah, just came from Tellar. Things have changed, security is a lot tighter. You know, it was funny, I got the impression that not everyone in Tellar agrees on the War. There also almost seems to be a kind of feeling that they are not being respected, that they're kind of on the outside looking in. They also seem a little sensitive about how their fleet matches up against the others. They really have a problem with the Humans who are threating to move past them as a power."

"Do you visit other parts of the Empire?"

Again looking at Venter suspiciously, he continued guardedly, "I go where the trade is."

"How do you think the Alliance is viewed there?"

"Well, you know, they look for anything to give themselves some hope. I think a lot of them would be disillusioned if the Alliance was defeated. At the same time, I think they know they are fooling themselves; that it is just a matter of time before they are crushed. But the longer that doesn't happen, the bolder they seem to be getting."

Then afraid he had said too much, he said he had to leave and hurried away.

Venter talked to others and received about the same impressions. He returned to Romulus and met with Baldur and Captain Rous.

"Well, what is the status of the fleet."

Baldur answered, "We are ready to go. In fact, the crews are champing at the bit. Did you learn anything?"

"Not much. Did get reinforcement of the idea that if the Alliance is defeated, it could help somewhat in some of the uprisings."

Rous hesitantly spoke up, "There is one thing, Governor." Then he threw up his arms. "It's probably nothing."

"What is it?"

"It's Darden, sir. He just doesn't seem to want to be a working part of the fleet. He is constantly ignoring orders and doing what he pleases."

Venter sighed, "I was afraid of that. I am afraid though that the Praetor is dead set on having him come along. We'll just not try to integrate him into the fleet. Let them stay together. Hopefully, the extra ships will offset any other problems he may cause." Looking at the others, "Anything else?"

When they said no, "All right, I will inform the Praetor we will set out in three days. Give the crews leave until midnight the night before."

Tabrina watched as Venter stepped out of a shuttle and headed for the front door. She had been a little upset that he had not spent more time with her since they had returned, but then chided herself for her selfishness. He needed to do all he could to ensure this expedition was a success. She also was ashamed that she had found she was worried for what might happen. She was the wife of a Romulan soldier, she needed to be strong.

She greeted him at the door and kissed him gently. Then, to his surprise and pleasure, she led them to their bedroom. Afterward, they lay beside each other, knowing this could be one of the last times they would be together before he left. Neither would entertain the thought that it might be one of their last times ever.

Venter spoke first, "I spoke to Baldur and Rous today, we are leaving in three days."

Tabrina fought the moment of sadness and said, "I imagine everyone is anxious to go."

"Yes. After all, the sooner we leave, the sooner this will all be over."

For the next three days, they spent practically all their time together, her even accompanying him to the Palace for his final report to the Praetor. On the last day before launch, she invited the wives of Baldur and Rous to a girl's brunch, all of them speaking confidently of what was to happen and how proud they were of their men.

After she and Venter made love the last time before he was due to leave, she suddenly weakened and held him so tightly that he was shocked. When she stepped back, a little embarrassed, he smiled and said, "I don't want to leave you either, but at the same time, I am excited about going." He kissed her on the mouth and smiling said, "Don't worry, it is not my time yet. When I return, I think we should work on having a family."

She managed a smile and said, "I'll hold you to that."

The next day she stood on a platform with Solon, Valdore, and other dignitaries including Ruddick and watched as the fleet passed out of sight.

Even before the information came from intelligence sources that the fleet had been launched, it was picked up by the advance scout ships. They reported that the fleet was in a tight formation, except for about sixty ships that were some distance from the rest of the fleet.

When the invading fleet was two weeks away, the War Council met to discuss strategies for dealing with it.

Shran began, "The formation that the Romulans seem to be using is largely to prevent a frontal attack. The ships are tightly packed as to prevent an adversary from creating gaps. It also enables the other ships to react quickly to aid at the point of the attack. It's weakness of course is that it is not necessarily an attacking position although they could use it to attempt to drive a wedge between our forces. We would have to act quickly and leave the area. Out best hope would seem to attack at the edges and try to whittle it down. We could move away from it completely but it would probably proceed to attack our home planets."

Gral spoke up, "I agree with most of what Shran has said but I believe we can be more aggressive attacking its outer edges, at the corners, to try to draw the ships out, to create gaps. The main point is to avoid a frontal attack either against the front or its sides. "

Archer nodded but added, "I believe they stayed in this formation for the purposes of the journey. I would expect them to strike a more aggressive posture when they are ready to attack."

Soval wondered, "Is there any way we can make use of the fact that there appears to be a rather large gap where those sixty ships are for some reason away from the main body?"

Shran continued, "You are right Soval, I have been thinking about that too. It would be risky but it could enable us to strike a quick early blow and deliver some real damage. If we sent half of the Andorian fleet into that gap, while the other half of the Andorian fleet would attack from the outside, we would have those ships caught between them. We should be able to cause damage and escape before the other forces could be brought to bear."

Gral spoke up again, 'I think that is an excellent idea and worthy of consideration. But why all the moving around of Andorian ships? I see no problem with the Andorians being the ones crashing into the gap from their normal position in the formation, but why is it necessary to move the other Andorian ships from their position to swing them all the way around, especially as those ships are assigned to the Earth fleet. The Tellarite fleet is already in position to launch an attack from the outside."

Archer saw the look on Shran's face and spoke quickly, hoping to head him off, "I just believe General Shran thought of this as an Andorian proposal. But I am sure he would consider utilizing the Tellarite fleet."

Shran glared at him but managed to hold his temper, but it didn't stop him from speaking out. "Gral, while I appreciate your offer, I still think I would be more comfortable if they were all Andorian ships. It will be easier to coordinate their efforts."

Gral snorted, "You just don't trust my fleet to be able to do the job. It has long been apparent that you all consider yourselves superior. If we cannot be trusted to take part in the actions of this Fleet, it may be time for the Tellarite fleet to return to Tellar."

Archer thought, 'Damnit' to himself, this is what they had long feared, that the Tellarites would be offended and defensive. He couldn't allow the Tellarites to tear up the Alliance. The trouble was, he tended to agree with Shran; but as the Supreme Commander, he had to act for what he thought was best for the entire fleet. It was also true that the Tellarites strongly outnumbered the Romulans in that sector and would only have to engage them long enough to allow the Andorians to break out.

When he announced his decision that they would follow Gral's suggestion, he was relieved to see that Shran held his tongue, apparently realizing that he needed to back off. At the same time Archer knew he was not happy and Archer had to admit he still shared some of the same misgivings.

The Alliance Fleet waited for the arrival of the Romulan fleet with The Andorian and the Earth/Andorian fleet in the center, the Tellarite Fleet to their right and the Vulcan Fleet to their left. The Four Flagships and their eight sister ships were stationed behind the middle fleets.

As the Romulan Fleet dropped out of warp, Archer noticed that they still had left that gap on the left side of their formation. Going ahead with the plan, forty Andorian ships entered through the gap in the line and attacked the ships to their right.

Aboard the _Quandor_ , Venter was informed of the attack. He immediately spoke angrily to Baldur, "May the elements curse him, I told Darden to maintain the gaps, now he has his squadrons caught between the Andorians and the Tellarites." Turning to his second in command, "Dentor, have Mordon's squadrons move to attack the Andorians, although I doubt they will be in time to prevent us from incurring losses."

Then Dentor spoke up excitedly, "It seems the Tellarites are hanging back and committing very few ships."

Venter smiled, "Well, it appears we were right about the Tellarites. That they would be the weak link. The Alliance will pay dearly for that. Dentor, have Mordon close the gap in the formation and proceed to attack the Andorians, they should now be trapped."

Aboard the Tellarite flagship, _Norvan_ , Gral, very agitated, was talking to the commander of the Tellarite Fleet. "What are you waiting for? Launch an attack!"

Corab, looking evasive, "I have, our forces are now engaging the Romulans."

Gral, angrily, "With what, five or six ships? You need to commit enough forces to allow the Andorians to break out."

"We're no match for the Romulans, I could lose several of my ships. It's much safer to attack and retreat."

"I gave my word! You told me you were committed to the plan!"

"I have decided I don't trust the others; I need to retain my fleet to protect Tellar."

"You are condemning the Andorians! Their blood will be on our hands!"

"Better Andorian blood than ours," as he signed off.

"That coward! I won't let his actions despoil my honor or that of Tellar." Turning to his communications officer, "Get me the _Ashtar_ and the _Monved_."

Archer was receiving similar information from T'Pol, "The Romulans have moved ships to prevent the Andorians from escaping the way they went in. They are attacking from both sides."

"What's holding the Andorians up? They should be close to joining up with the Tellarites."

"It appears that the Romulans are holding back the Tellarites with just a few ships freeing the others to attack the Andorians."

"How can that be? The Tellarites outnumber them six to one at that point."

"I am afraid it seems the Tellarites are reluctant to take any risks. They are attacking and retreating with a minimum number of ships."

Hoshi interrupted, "Shran is hailing us."

Archer sighed, "Just what I need, put him on."

Shran, with his antenna straight up, "What in the name of Gortor is going on? What's Gral up to? I warned you about the Tellarites. If we don 't do something, we're going to lose half the Andorian Fleet."

"Just hold on a second, I was just going to contact Gral and tell him he needs to apply more pressure."

"You do that! You talk to him. If his ships don't make a big change right away, I'm taking the rest of Andorian Fleet and try to break through to save my ships."

T'Pol spoke up, "That would be unwise, a frontal attack could cost you all of your fleet. We need to apply pressure where the Tellarites are."

"Stay out of this, Vulcan! I don't have time for your 'Logic'. I also don't have time to swing my fleet around to help the Tellarites. If you think I am going to sit by while half of my fleet is destroyed, you don't know Andorians very well."

Archer, sharply, "Leave her alone, Shran. She's right; you'll end up losing them all. You'll also leave us exposed to a counter attack that could end it all now. I'll talk to Gral. If nothing changes, tell your ships to break formation and get out the best they can. Maybe we can save some of them. Don't forget, I'm in command."

Angrily, Shran continued, "So command! You know even if they break up we could lose them all. If that happens, you'll have to kill me this time." The screen went blank.

Exchanging looks with the rest of the bridge, Archer turned to Hoshi, "Get me Gral."

Just then T'Pol broke in, "Admiral, the _Norvan_ and its sister ships are launching escape pods."

Archer, rose to his feet, "What the Hell? Put it on the screen."

The screen showed the pods leaving all three ships.

T'Pol continued, "All three ships are preparing to go to warp." Turning toward Archer, "They are also overloading their warp reactors, they are going to create a breach."

Archer stared, "Damn, they are going to self-destruct. They are going come out on top of the Romulan fleet and blow themselves up."

Gral's bridge appeared on the screen. Gral and another officer were working at a console.

"What do you want, Archer? I am busy right now."

"What do you think you are doing? Shut it down."

"Sorry, too late. I am going to save Tellarite honor, I can't allow it to be our actions that cause the Andorians to be destroyed. I am going to rectify that. I suggest you prepare to take advantage; there should be quite a hole in their formation."

"Gral, this isn't necessary. We are in this together."

Hoshi turns to him, "Sorry sir, we lost him."

T'Pol, as excited as she gets, "They are going to warp!"

The three Tellarite ships used one burst of energy to enter the Romulan formation left of where the Andorians entered. There were a series of huge explosions.

Archer still standing, seems to consider something for a moment and then turned to Hoshi, "Get me _Columbia_!"

Captain Hernandez appeared on the screen.

"Erika, take your fleet and get through that hole in the line as fast as you can. Then hit the Romulans and fight your way through to the Andorians."

Erika quickly hid her surprise, "At once, Sir."

T'Pol tried to get his attention, "Admiral…"

Archer smiled thinly at her, "A coward dies a thousand deaths, an idiot dies but once…" Turning toward her, speaking quietly and seriously, "I think Gral has given us a chance to do some real damage, perhaps end this today. Hoshi, get me the _Charon_."

Hoshi answered, "Shran is hailing us."

"Put him off, get me the _Charon_ first."

"Soval here."

"Is Captain Sopek with you?"

Sopek entered the screen, "I am here, Admiral."

"I've decided we are going for broke. I need you to launch an attack with everything you have."

Sopek, inquisitively, "Going for broke?"

"It means we are going to risk it all, the whole fleet."

Soval, not able to completely hide his surprise and concern, "Admiral, I do not think…"

"It's too late, Ambassador, I've already gone too far. If you don't act now, we'll lose the rest of the fleet."

Soval, showing more emotion, "You have no right to do this."

"The point is moot now, and actually I do; I am the Commander of the Fleet. You're wasting time."

Sopek spoke up, "Very well, Admiral, we will attack at once."

"Just a moment, I want to speak to your ships, patch me through."

Sopek couldn't hide his annoyance, "Is that necessary?"

"Just do it."

Sopek turned to someone off screen, "Very well, you are patched through."

"This is Admiral Archer. I have just given the order for the entire Vulcan Fleet to engage the Romulans. The rest of the Fleet is or will be attacking. While I admire the goals that T'Pau is aspiring to and believe in the ultimate dismantling of the Vulcan Fleet, I am extremely thankful you are with me today. I just want you to know that I believe this Vulcan Fleet is the most powerful fleet that exists in the Galaxy. I know you profess to not having emotions, but I also believe that you cannot serve aboard a Starship without having pride in it and in its crew. This may be the last time a Vulcan Battle Fleet will ever engage in battle and I know you want it to be worth remembering. I can state it simply; the future of our planets depends on you. Your fleet has the power to defeat the Romulans. When we defeated the first fleet, I saw your ships and crews are better than theirs."

"Today I do not need followers of Surak. No, I need Vulcan Warriors. This will be the last time the Galaxy will see them. I want them to know what Vulcans are capable of; I want them to realize what Vulcans could have done, if they were not dedicated to peace and logic." Coldly in Vulcan, "Vashau nemut! Puvatau Ek'khaf T'naehm!" He signaled Hoshi to sign off.

Malcolm asked, "What was that, Admiral, what did you say in Vulcan?"

T'Pol, quietly, looked strangely at Archer, "He told them to destroy the enemy, he invoked the Blood War."

Malcolm, puzzled, "The Blood War?"

T'Pol, still looking at Archer, who returned her gaze, "It is the words the ancient Vulcans intoned before they went into battle. How…"

"I thought I should know more about Vulcan; I've spent some time in the database." With a small smile, "I think having had Surak in my head may have helped me with the pronunciation."

Hoshi spoke up, "Shran is still waiting."

"Let him wait, Give me the _Natar_."

"This is Captain Corab, what is going on? What happened to the _Norvan_?"

"Listen to me. The _Norvan_ and her sister ships sacrificed themselves to destroy a number of Romulan ships and make a break in the line. Gral did it because you were not doing your job. He did it to restore Tellarite honor."

"That was unnecessary, I am attacking."

"Listen, you miserable worm. Gral is not going to die in vain! You are going to launch a full-scale attack. The rest of the Fleet is committed and you will not let us down."

"We will be annihilated…"

Archer continued quietly and earnestly, "Captain, we need your help, the future of the Fleet rests with you. You must force the Romulans to commit more ships to hold your fleet back. You must attack en masse without concern for your fleet; because if we fail, your fleet is doomed anyway. Viceroy Gral's sacrifice has already ensured this day will live forever in Tellarite history, do what you must to be sure it lives in glory."

"May the Gods curse you, Archer. I will do it for Gral and Tellar, but our blood is on your hands."

Archer, very quietly, "I know that. Archer out."

T'Pol, who is monitoring the battle, "The Vulcan Fleet has begun its attack."

Archer turned to Hoshi, "Is Shran still waiting?"

"No, Admiral, he must have given up."

As Archer returned to his seat, a silence settled over the bridge.

T'Pol broke the silence, not managing to keep some excitement out of her voice, "Admiral, it appears the Romulan ships are no match for the Vulcans. They have broken into the formation."

Archer allowed himself a moment of relief and then asked, "Anything happening with the Tellarites?"

"They have attacked with all ships. So far the Romulans have made no move. It appears the Tellarites currently have the advantage."

As Captain Hernandez led her fleet through the opening, she's amazed at the amount of damage the Tellarites had caused. As her fleet continued through, she looked ahead to see that the Romulan ships were tightly bunched around the Andorian ships. She could see seven Andorian ships damaged and lying dead. She also realized she had little time before Romulan ships would soon be at her rear pinning her between the ships she is to attack and them. She briefly wondered if Archer had made a tragic mistake. Then strongly dismissing that from her mind, she decided her best and perhaps only chance is to quickly break through to the other Andorians and use their combined fleets to break out.

In the distance she saw the Tellarite Fleet apparently staying out of the battle and felt a strong surge of anger and contempt. She decided to split her fleet, using the Earth ships to act as a rear guard to hold back the Romulans until the Andorians break through. Having gave the orders, she watched as the Andorians engaged the Romulans. But then she noted that the Earth ships were under attack. Unfortunately in her estimation, they would not have time to break through before the Romulans broke through from behind.

Her communications officer Ensign Summers interrupted her thoughts, "Captain, receiving a message from _Enterprise_ , the Vulcans have launched an attack with all ships."

Erika registered surprise before recovering, Archer was really going all out. She assumed it was hoped that it would take some of the pressure off her flanks, but with the number of ships between her and the Vulcans, she doubted it will be in time. She was also worried about the fate of the Vulcans, waging a frontal attack.

Then Summers said, "Another communication." She turned toward Hernandez, "The Tellarites are also attacking."

"Put it on the screen!"

Erika watched as the entire Tellarite fleet was now engaged with the Romulans. For the first time she felt they had a real chance. If the Tellarites could draw enough ships away from the original Andorian Fleet, they could help the other Andorians reach them. He new hope was quickly tempered when she turned her attention back to the Earth fleet. Four ships were already damaged and the Romulans were attacking with a large number of ships.

The battle continued with the Alliance fleets barely holding their own, when the ships attacking the Earth ships suddenly turned and headed in the direction of the Vulcan attack. Hernandez was stunned, what could possibly have caused them to retreat?

Venter felt satisfaction about the early course of the battle. Archer had already made a serious mistake and was about to lose an important portion of his fleet. Then Dentor broke into his thoughts, Governor, three Tellarite ships have apparently self-destructed causing a breach in our formation at coordinates 38.65. A number of our ships have been disabled."

Surprised, Venter quickly said, "Order squadron twenty-three to fill the hole."

"Terran and Andorian ships have already come through and are engaging our ships attacking the Andorians."

Have the ships on the other side of the breach attack, squadrons six through nine."

Denton answered, "At once."

Soon after that he announced that the Vulcans were launching an attack along the 40 coordinates."

Venter showed shock and surprise, but then quickly became stoic. "It appears, Baldur, that this will be settled sooner that we imagined. Apparently, the reports of Archer's audacity were well founded." Then reflectively, "After all these centuries, we are finally engaged in a battle with our brethren. We held back from an invasion because of a fear of their power. Now we will see if that was necessary."

Baldur asked, "What are you going to do?"

"What is there to do? Our fortune or failure now lies with our ships and soldiers. One side will prevail. For now, I see no moves that are necessary."

It only seemed a few moments when Denton spoke again, "I have a message from the _Kortar_."

"Pass it through. What is it Darden?"

"Governor, the Tellarites are now attacking with all their ships. I will need reinforcements to hold my position."

"We will send you thirty more ships. They should be more than you need to deal with Tellarite pigs."

"Yes, sir."

Turning to Baldur, "What is with this fleet? What is coming over them? Tellarites blowing themselves up? Tellarites throwing caution to the wind?" Turning to Dentor, "Send the twelfth squadron to reinforce Darden."

Then seeing a look of shock on Dentor's face, "What is it now, Dentor?"

"Governor, the Vulcans have broken through the first line. Our ships appear to have no chance against them."

Venter stared at him a moment, muttering, "By the Elements!" After taking a few moments to recover, "Very well, it appears we have no choice. Have all the ships between the Vulcans and the Earth fleet turn and attack the Vulcans. Since we cannot match up ship to ship, we will have to overwhelm them."

Turning ruefully to Baldur. "Let's hope to all the Elements we can keep the rest of their fleet tied up so they cannot help them."

Baldur with a stunned look on his face, "What is happening? This cannot be possible; it is inconceivable we could be defeated."

Venter, smiled darkly, "Actually, it appears there is a good chance we could do so. But do not despair yet. They have stretched their resources to the limit; we may still prevail. It does appear though that without our advantage of cloaking, we are not as powerful as we believed."

Having been summoned to the bridge, Trip had joined T'Pol, Archer, and Malcolm in the battle room behind the bridge. Looking at a simulation of the battle, they are discussing what needs to be done.

Malcolm spoke first, "The Romulans have thrown everything at the Vulcans and it appears to be working. Their charge has stalled."

"T'Pol added, "Now that the Romulans have sent reinforcements, the Tellarites are suffering heavy losses. We are clearly winning where the Earth fleet and the Andorians are fighting, but as long as their left holds, it would be risky to pull ships out of those battles."

Archer nodded, but then went on, "Whether we can or not, we have to find some relief for the Vulcans. I'm afraid we will at least have to risk pulling Erika's Earth ships back."

Hoshi interrupted, "Shran is hailing us."

"Put him through."

"Admiral, we need to get some relief for the Vulcans. Send Captain Hernandez's Earth fleet. We can handle what's left."

Archer smiled, "We have come to the same conclusion. Hoshi…"

In the background, there was an excited voice yelling to Shran. Irritably, he turned toward it, "What is it?"

After listening for a few moments, he turned back to the screen with a huge smile on his face.

"By the Ice Hounds of Sartog, the Tellarites have broken through!" Ruefully and sadly, "I guess I owe Gral an apology." After a moment, "Hell, send Captain Hernandez's entire fleet to aid the Vulcans, we can finish up with the aid of the Tellarites." Signed off.

T'Pol checked her scanners, "Admiral, he is right, the Tellarites have broken through; but they have paid a terrible price, almost half of their fleet has been lost."

Archer, quietly, "Into the Valley of Death rode the 600…"

T'Pol inquisitively, "Admiral?"

"It's from an old English poem, _The Charge of the Light Brigade_. A British commander ordered the Light Brigade to launch an impossible attack into the heart of the enemy position. They should have been completely destroyed, but in spite of enormous losses, they broke through and turned the tide of the battle and the war."

T'Pol answered quietly, "Understood."

Archer moved onto the bridge, "Hoshi, get me the _Columbia_."

"Erika, let the Tellarites and the other Andorians finish up there. Take your fleet and attack along line 37 and fight through to match up with the Vulcans."

"Understood, Admiral, we will leave at once."

As they continued to monitor the situation, Trip spoke up, "Admiral, do you think we maybe should join in? The Vulcans could still use some help in the second quadrant."

Archer smiled, "I think you're right." Moving back on to the Bridge, "Hoshi, get me Soval and Shran."

Shran spoke first, "Well, Pinkskin, it looks like I might not have to kill you after all."

Soval added, "It does seem we could prevail."

Archer answered, "Commander Tucker thinks we could be of help in the Second Quadrant, I tend to agree with him."

Soval nodded, "I agree, we will deploy at once."

Shran, grinning, "It's about time; I thought you were going to have us sit it out. Follow me, we'll lead the way."

Archer, as he signed off, "Right behind you. Trip, you better return to Engineering." As he left, Archer motioned to Hoshi, "Contact the _Potomac_ and the _Shenandoah_ , tell them to get ready for battle and follow us in."

Turning toward Malcolm, "Sound battle stations, polarize the hull, and raise our shields."

As red lighting temporarily came on, Malcolm announced, "All systems armed, hull polarized, shields raised!"

Nodding, Archer hit a button on his chair, "Archer to Engineering. Everything ready down there, Trip?"

"All set, Admiral."

"Take us in, Travis."

"Aye, Sir."

Aboard the _Quandor_ , Venter had been appraised of the situation. The Tellarites had broken through and joined with the Andorians, with the destruction of that portion of the fleet only a matter of course. That had enabled the Alliance to send reinforcements to the Vulcans.

He turned to Baldur, "I believe the 'impossible' has just happened. It is just a matter of time now."

Baldur, distraught, "We should retreat, salvage what we can. You must escape."

"Retreat to where? Escape to where? Back to Romulus in shame? No, our duty is to fight to the end, to inflict as much damage as we can on the Alliance. Our ships are easier to replace than theirs are. As for me, this is my fleet, these are my troops. I have shared in their glory and I will not desert them now."

Dentor spoke up, " _Enterprise_ and the other ships of the Council have entered the battle."

Venter perked up, "Where?"

"At coordinates 39.89."

"Put it on the screen." Screen showed _Enterprise_ and the other ships fighting the Romulans. "Well, it may be we can salvage something from this debacle after all. To destroy _Enterprise_ and Archer would be of great service to the Empire."

Turning to Denton, "Engage our cloaking device and move at best possible speed toward _Enterprise_."

Baldur looked surprised, "Cloaking device? Do you now believe they cannot detect us?"

"Of course not, but I don't think looking for a single cloaked ship will be a high priority for anyone in the Alliance Fleet right now."

They slowly found their way through the battlefield until they were in firing range of _Enterprise_.

Venter nodded satisfactorily, "Perhaps your luck has finally run out, Archer." Turning to Denton, "Arm all forward weapons. Target the bridge. Prepare to fire as soon as we decloak."

T'Pol, still monitoring, is stunned by what she detected, "Admiral, a Romulan ship decloaking off the starboard bow!"

Archer got to his feet, "Travis, evasive action!"

It was doubtful anyone else would have the reflexes or expertise to even make the slight movement Travis achieved. It was just enough to protect the bridge but _Enterprise_ was hit in various locations.

As alarms went off all over the ship, _Enterprise_ came to a full stop.

Aboard the _Quandor_ , Venter felt satisfaction but as his ship prepared to continue the attack, it was suddenly rocked. He called out, "What was that?"

Dentor answered, "It is an Earth ship, it fired on us and is moving rapidly toward us. It's going to ram us!"

"Put it on the screen." The screen showed an Earth ship bearing down on them, its name was clearly shown _Mercy McBride_. "Hard to port! Fire all Starboard weapons!"

The _Mercy McBride_ was hit almost point blank and was left dead in space.

"Well done, now to finish off _Enterprise_ …"

Baldur, looking at the screen, said quietly, "Too late."

The screen showed two Earth ships heading toward them, the _Quandor was_ heavily rocked by weapon fire and the bridge went dark until emergency lights came on. Venter was unharmed but Baldur was dead and damage was all around him.

Archer turned to T'Pol, "What's going on? Why did they stop firing?"

"They were attacked by an Earth vessel, she attempted to ram them. They were able to prevent that but are now under attack by the _Potomac_ and _Shenandoah_. They are suffering heavy damage."

"Speaking of heavy damage, what happened to us?"

"We had the hull temporarily breached near Engineering before the inner seal took effect. Damage crews are heading for the breach. There appears to be heavy damage in Engineering and smaller damage on other decks."

Archer sat back down and gestured to Travis, "Travis, get us out of here. We're too close to the action to be a sitting duck."

Travis, pushing various buttons in frustration, "Sorry, sir, I have no power not even impulse."

Archer hit a button on his chair, "Engineering, this is Admiral Archer, report. Engineering, report. Damn it. T'Pol, head down there and get back to me with a report. Hoshi, get Phlox to Engineering."

T'Pol headed for the turbo lift, "At once, sir."

Archer continued, "Hoshi, start gathering as much information as you can. See how bad we're hurt."

"Malcolm, how about weapons?"

"Weapons are still on line, but without the ability to maneuver…"

"Hoshi, contact the _Shenandoah_ , tell Captain Woodward our problem, tell him to stay close."

Explosions tore through Engineering, small fires breaking out. Engineering personnel were lying on the ground dead and wounded. Trip, bleeding from a wound on his leg, pulled himself on to the Warp Engine, where he furiously checked screens and worked several levers and buttons. A siren screamed in the background.

He yelled out, "We're going to have to hurry or the whole damn thing is going to blow. The pressure is still rising, we need to release the manifolds by hand."

Kathy, running across to where the manifolds were, "I'm on it!"

"You're going to have to pull down all seven of the main manifolds. But be careful and get out of there when you're done, never know what will happen with this much pressure."

Kathy had begun to work on the Panels. "Three of them are done, how's it look?"

"It's still rising." She finished two more panels and headed for the sixth.

Trip called out, "Hold on, it's starting to fall; maybe can get by without doing them all."

"No, it's best to do them all."

"No, it's still dropping. Get the hell out of there now. That's an order!"

"That's six," moving on to the last one, "You know as well as I do that if I leave one closed it could start back up again and then we might not be able to get to it."

"Damn it, Reynolds, I'm telling you to get out of there!"

"Just about done…" just then the panel exploded, throwing her across the room crashing into the side of the reactor.

"REYNOLDS!" Working some last controls as the siren sound ended, he hopped down on one leg and limped over to her. As he grabbed her, he leaned against the reactor, which burnt his shoulder and arm. Grimacing, he managed to pull her away. Holding her in his arms, he pushed the hair away from her face. "Reynolds, wake up, Damn you!"

She painfully opened her eyes and looked up at him, "The ship?"

"We stopped the breach, the ship's safe." Caressing her cheek, "Damn it, Reynolds, I told you to get out of there."

Smiling painfully at him speaking weakly and hesitantly, "You know you would have never left without doing all seven. Wasn't about to let you show me up. Besides, you know I never pay any attention to your orders."

"Okay, shut up and rest, Phlox will be here any minute."

Grimacing and appearing to pass out she added weakly, "Don't think I have a minute. Sure was looking forward to holding that kid of yours. You tell him Hi from his Auntie Kate." Fading out, "Tell Betty I love her."

With tears forming in his eyes, "You'll tell them yourself." Her head lolled back as her eyes closed. He grabbed her shoulders and held her up, "God Damnit, Reynolds, don't you go and die on me. KATHY!"

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Phlox.

"Step back, Commander, I need to get to her." Trip got to his feet, stepping back, looking dazed. Phlox knelt and ran his scanner over her. After a few moments he rose and turned to Tucker, "I'm sorry Commander, she's gone."

Trip pushed Phlox back out of the way. "NO!" Turning wide-eyed to Phlox, "What kind of doctor are you? You didn't even try anything. Thought you were some kind of miracle worker."

"Commander, there wasn't anything I could do," reaching out toward him, "You're injured, here let me…."

Seeming not to hear, Tucker pushed back stumbling, "I told her to get out of there, I told her…"

Suddenly a hand grabbed his arm and straightened him up. He tried to get loose but she held him easily, "Commander, you need to have your injuries looked at and the Admiral needs a report."

Still struggling to get free, he turned his head toward her, "If it isn't Captain T'Pol, doing her duty. Kathy's dead, but that doesn't mean anything to you."

Quietly, T'Pol continued, as she still held his arm, "Trip, I am very sorry for the Ensign's death, but the ship is still in danger and we cannot do anything for her now. The Admiral needs to know what power we have available."

Tucker shook his head like he was coming out of a trance, "T'Pol, what are you doing here?"

"The Admiral sent me for a report. What power capabilities do we have?"

Shakily Trip got out, "We stopped the breach but won't have warp for a while. Just need to finish the module transfer…" He tried to move toward the reactor.

T'Pol still held him firmly, "I will take care of that, you need to go to Sickbay." Turning to Phlox, "Doctor."

Phlox held out his scanner as Tucker started to collapse, "He's going into shock." He got a hypospray from one of his assistants and pushed it against Tucker's neck. They lowered him onto a gurney.

Falling asleep, "T'Pol, what I said to you about not caring…"

T'Pol reached down and caressed his cheek, "Do not let it concern you, Trip, just rest and let Phlox take care of you; we will talk later."

She straightened up as they moved the gurney away. She went up the steps to the control panel and worked for a time. She then used her personal communicator, "T'Pol to Archer."

"Archer here, report."

"Engineering was able to prevent a breach but warp power is down indefinitely. You should have impulse power now but it may fluctuate in strength."

"Understood. How is everyone?"

"There are many casualties." After a slight hesitation, "Ensign Reynolds is dead."

Quietly, "God."

"Commander Tucker has suffered an injury and was taken to Sickbay. It did not seem overly serious. Will have to check back with Phlox on the others. I am afraid the damage is extensive."

"All right. Do you need to remain down there? Will you need more assistance?"

"I believe I should stay for a time. Do not believe will need any additional help at this time."

Sighing, "Okay, keep me posted, Archer out."

Sitting back in his chair, "Okay, Travis, get us out of here, most direct route, best impulse speed you can get."

"Hoshi, contact the _Shenandoah_ again, tell Woodward about our speed constraints and have him follow us out."

"Yes, Admiral. Admiral, we are being hailed audio only." Turning toward him, "It's coming from the ship that attacked us."

Archer, surprised, sat up in his seat, "Let's hear it."

"May I speak to Admiral Archer."

"This is Admiral Archer."

"Ah, Admiral, sorry to see you are still alive."

Angrily, "Unfortunately, that's not true of some of my crew." Taking a deep breath, "Can we at least stop further carnage and death? Is it necessary for all of you to die for some absurd concept of secrecy? Put me through to your commanding officer, perhaps he could be persuaded to surrender and save some of his troops."

Ruefully, "You are already talking to him, Governor General Venter at your service. I am afraid that 'absurd concept' is the doctrine I have sworn to uphold. I am too old and have spent too much time in the service of the Empire to change now. I must admit, I am tempted to meet you in person, but I have chosen this path and must remain on it. You have proven a surprisingly formidable opponent, Archer, but I have a feeling it may be difficult for you to recover from the damage we have inflicted on your fleet. Hopefully, your 'Victory' will be short-lived. Long live the Praetor, long live the Empire." The signal is cut off.

Venter watched as _Enterprise_ started to move off. In English he said, "It seems Archer, you are one lucky sonofabitch." He then moved to the main console and gently moved Denton's body to the floor. Placing his palm on a screen, he pushed a key, "This is Governor General Venter, code 7656, activate."

He returned to his chair and took out a holograph picture of his wife. Oh Tabrina, as difficult as it is to accept that I have failed the Empire, it is equally distressing that I have failed you. You are a beautiful woman who would be a wonderful mother. Don't be a martyr, find someone who deserves you. Goodbye, my love." He smiled sadly as the _Quandor_ ceased to exist.

T'Pol was back at her station. It had been some time since the battle ended with the inevitable self-destruction of the remaining Romulan warships. The hospital ship had been brought to the battlefield and its shuttles were moving back and forth as the first step of Rescue, Recover, and Restore had begun. Every ship was being checked for any possible survivors. It was a tedious and dangerous job, as many of the damaged ships contained hazards for those doing the work. _Enterprise_ had four dead and dozens wounded, some badly.

She looked at the chronometer. It read 0100. She turned and looked over at Jonathan in his chair, it was apparent he was exhausted and could barely keep his eyes open. They had been awake for almost seventy-two hours. The rest of the bridge crew had been replaced by Beta crew.

She walked over and touched him on the arm, "Admiral, I believe you need to get some rest. It is 0100."

Archer looked up at her groggily, "T'Pol?" Stretching, "I think you're right, shouldn't be any change until tomorrow." Noticing she also looked weary, "Will go on one condition, that you call it a night also."

About to argue almost reflexively, she decided he was right. "Perhaps you are right, Admiral."

Archer got up, "Ensign Davis, you have the Watch. Let me know immediately if you need anything."

"Yes, sir. Goodnight, Admiral, Captain."

Archer called back as he headed for the door, "Goodnight, Davis."

T'Pol said, "Goodnight, Ensign."

As they walked quietly down the hall toward their quarters, they noticed that there was some damage. Then Archer saw that his door was open and bent. Suddenly he had a feeling of dread. He hurried forward and pushed the door aside. He stopped cold as he saw Crewman Andrews kneeling on the floor with tears in her eyes holding Porthos in her lap. The side of his head was crushed and covered with blood. Archer lunged forward pushing Andrews out of the way as he knelt down and took Porthos into his lap, saying "Porthos."

Andrews fell back; getting to her feet, stammering, "I found him this way Admiral, parts of the ceiling had fallen on him. There wasn't anything I could do. I was going to call you…" She moved around them and almost bumped into T'Pol who had come through the door. She told T'Pol beseechingly, "There wasn't anything I could do, Captain, I swear."

T'Pol looked sadly at Jonathan and then turned to Andrews, "You acted correctly Crewman and I am sure the Admiral will agree. Perhaps you should return to your duties."

"I guess I should," then straightened up, "I mean Yes, sir, thank you, sir." She then left, tears in her eyes, still seemingly dazed.

Archer was still kneeling, slowly petting Porthos, trying to wipe the blood from his head. He looked up and saw T'Pol. His eyes were slightly wet, but then hardened.

"It's my fault; I never should have brought him out here. What kind of life was this for a dog? Living in a metal ship, no room to run and play. If I weren't so selfish, I would have found him a good home, with some children to play with; where he could have lived a long life."

T'Pol put her hand on his shoulder, "I am sure if Porthos could speak, he would have said he wanted to be wherever you were."

"This damn war! Useless stinking war! So many deaths. How many more did I send to their death today?"

T'Pol gently but firmly pulled him away from Porthos, "Admiral, you are exhausted, you must get some rest."

Archer allowed her to lead him to his bed, "Why Porthos, T'Pol, he never hurt anyone." Suddenly he got agitated, "Do you think he suffered…?"

"I believe it hit him while he slept, Jonathan, I am sure he felt nothing."

She slowly lowered him to the bed and pulled off his boots. He laid back and in spite of himself, started to doze off. Then suddenly he raised his head and looked over at Porthos, "I can't leave him…"

T'Pol gently pushed him back down, "I will take care of him, you get some sleep."

Archer was losing the battle, "Thanks T'Pol." Then, as he surrendered to sleep, "I love you."

T'Pol looked sadly but lovingly at him, "I cherish you as well, Jonathan."

She caressed his cheek and then pulling a sheet from a shelf, she wrapped Porthos in it. She left with him, closing the door as best she could.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N I would like to sincerely thank Mojo01, EroSlackerMicha, and Jacks in my head for their reviews. I really value your input. Wow, 100 reviews!**

Archer awoke in the morning with the feeling that something had changed, that something was wrong. As he sat up, he saw Porthos's dog dish and it all came rushing back. He wanted to just stay there, to mourn, to give himself time; but there was no time for that now. He would need to mourn later. There were matters that required his attention and as much as Porthos's death meant to him, there were thousands of men and women who had also perished or been wounded and they needed to be his concern now.

He reluctantly got to his feet and put the dog dish and sleeping mat away in a cabinet. Then taking a shower and doing his morning absolutions, he donned a clean uniform and headed for the mess hall. Entering and heading for the Captain's Mess, he acknowledged the greetings from the crewman he passed.

Ordering just some coffee and toast from the steward, he was soon done and headed for the Bridge. Arriving at precisely 0800, he was not surprised to see T'Pol and the others at work. He accepted their condolences about Porthos and then sat down in his chair.

Turning to T'Pol, he said, "Status?"

"Rescue operations are proceeding. General Shran has asked for a War Council meeting at 1000 hours to report his progress and to discuss the next steps to take."

"That sounds good." Turning to Hoshi, "Contact him and the others and inform them we'll meet aboard the _Charon_." Then after a slight hesitation, "The last I heard, the escape pod with Captain Frag was taken aboard the _Montier_."

T'Pol interrupted, "Captain Frag has transferred to the _Natar_ and designated it the new Tellarite flagship. Until he receives new instructions from Tellar, he has named Captain Corab his second on the Council."

Archer turned back to Hoshi, "Did you get that, Hoshi?"

"Yes, sir."

When the Council met, there was an awkward moment when Frag hesitated before seating himself in Gral's chair. Then Captain Corab sat next to him.

Archer had been a little apprehensive when he heard Corab was to now be on the board, but he could not see anything that suggested he was going to have their discussion affect him.

After everyone was seated, Archer started, "I know we all have many duties we need to perform, but I agree with General Shran that we need to determine where we are and how we plan to proceed." Then he turned to Frag, "I am sure I speak for all of us that we wish to express our sadness at the loss of Viscount Gral. He was more than a highly respected member of this Council, he was our friend." As the others nodded, he continued, "We also wish to recognize his courageous actions that contributed greatly to our success. At the same time I wish to welcome Captain Corab to the Council."

Frag answered, "Thank you, Admiral and also the rest of you. He had been my friend for a long time and will be missed."

Archer sat back, "Now, I think we should hear from General Shran."

"Shran leaned forward and referred occasionally to a PADD in front of him. "As you know, we began Rescue operations as soon as the battle ended with the mission of locating any survivors. We determined that there were seventy-two ships that had sufficient damage that they would have to have help in finding any survivors. We utilized the Medical shuttles from the _Clara Barton_ , and interspersing them with Shuttles from other ships, we accumulated a fleet of eighty shuttles to search the ships."

His checked his PADD, "It has been slow going. We have completed searches on fifteen of the damaged ships and are conducting searches on the rest."

"We have also contacted all ships to take a head count of their crews. As of now, understanding we are still searching, we can identify 19,542 survivors. That leaves 4,208 personnel unaccounted for."

Archer grimaced as he heard those numbers. Over four thousand possible deaths. He could see by the other's faces, they were shocked as well.

Shran continued, "This of course is the worst scenario, I believe we will reduce that number as we continue our search. On the other hand, it also does not identify how many of the survivors have suffered injuries or their severity."

Archer took over, "Thank you, General. Now I think we should hear from Ambassador Soval, who is in charge of the next step Recover."

"I have been working closely with General Shran. As soon as they complete their searches, we are sending personnel to collect the dead. We currently are utilizing ten shuttles, but will gain more as Rescue finishes up."

"We also have five shuttles looking for bodies floating in space."

"Our goal is to be able to account for every single individual, living or dead. To that end we are also collecting blood and tissue samples as we search in able to check its DNA."

"We have utilized the cargo bay of the Vulcan ship _K'Tar_ to receive what we find. We will match them to their DNA. They will be then injected with a preserving fluid and placed in bags, clearly identifying who they are with name, rank, ship they served on, and service number. We will also note if they have any special requests as to disposal. We will also try to observe any religious ceremonies that are associated with them, but frankly, with this number of causalities it will be difficult."

Archer spoke up again, "Thank you Ambassador. I would like to be sure we all understand the difficulties involved with this number of deaths. At the same time, I also want to emphasize we will do our utmost to honor them. As the Ambassador said, our goal is to provide closure for every individual. That may not be completely possible. One thing must be certain however. We must do everything possible to be sure that all remains are correctly identified."

"And now, I turn it over to Captain Frag for the status of the last step Restore."

We are ready to proceed with our charge, but of course we will only proceed when a ship has been completely checked out for both survivors and bodies. I am assembling a team of engineers to evaluate the status of all ships. They will be placed into one of four categories, ready for action, able to be repaired on site, repairable at an Alliance facility, or incapable of being repaired."

Archer thanked all of them for their efforts. He then continued, "I will prepare a report for Admiral Gardner and the War Committee based on what you have communicated. I will send it to you for approval when I have finished. From now on, by 0900 each morning, I want a report from each of you on your progress. It will contain no estimates but exact numbers of where we are. In other words, number of survivors, number of identified dead and status of ships. You can send it to Lieutenant Sato. I will work with the hospital ship and the doctors on each ship to identify the number of wounded. When everything is completed, we will send a final report."

"Does anyone have any questions?"

Receiving no answers, he went on, "I just want to say how proud I am of all of you and your crews. Without your outstanding efforts, we could be in a very different position today. I would ask you to convey that to all of your respective ships."

A little hesitantly, Carob spoke up, "I know I am new to this council and perhaps out of place, but I want to take this opportunity to thank you Admiral for helping me to see where my duty lie and enable me to see that Viscount Gral did not die in vain."

Shran broke in, "I think we all agree that if not for you Admiral, this victory would not have been possible."

Archer lowered, then raised his head, "I thank you for that, but the true thanks goes to those who gave their all."

After a few moments, Archer said, "If nothing else, we all have a lot to do."

The next two weeks were filled with activity as they moved through the needed steps. Archer made his initial report to Admiral Gardner and then followed up sending totals and lists of those confirmed dead to the War Committee.

Each planet had its own condolence letters, with a standard message and were signed by the respective member of the War Council with an accompanying note from their supervisor.

Archer also insisted on signing them all as Supreme Commander, adding a note if he had any contact or knowledge of the individual. Some of them, including Crewman Barry Stevens, he had encountered during the basketball games. As time went on, he was in danger of being overwhelmed by the numbers.

Trip was cleared from Sickbay and had four letters to write, including a difficult one for Kathy. Archer and the rest of the bridge crew spent time with him as he was having a tough time reconciling what had happened. He knew it was irrational but he felt there was something he could have done to avoid what had occurred.

Each day the process continued, crews and officers doing their jobs, fighting through the despair and the enormity of the dead and wounded.

For the wounded, the first decision was made as soon as they were discovered. Those with wounds that were not considered severe were shuttled to Sickbays of ships that were not damaged in the battle. The rest were taken to the _Clara Barton_.

When V'Las was overthrown and T'Pau took power, those individuals who had been punished for doing mind melds were returned to their rightful places. One of those was Doctor Yuris, who had destroyed his career to help T'Pol. When the hospital ship was ready, the War Committee determined to place him in charge, not only because he had proven to be a top-flight doctor, but because of his connection to Archer and T'Pol.

As patients arrived at the ship, he and three other doctors, one from each of the other planets performed the difficult task of Triage, setting priorities for surgery and even more difficult, deciding which individuals were beyond hope.

There were thirty operating rooms aboard the _Clara Barton_. If possible, patients were routed to doctors of their own species, but when it became apparent that Tellarite injuries outstripped the others, that was not possible.

When the Rescue crews had finished with a ship, the Recovery teams moved in. Although their task was less rewarding, they felt a deep incentive to account for every crewman. The work was not for the squeamish. They collected any tissue or blood samples they could find, placing them in bags.

Along with the bodies, the bags traveled to the Vulcan ship _K'Tar_ where another group of doctors worked to determine their DNA. Once they were identified and preserved, they were placed in body bags and stored in a cargo bay. Representatives of religions from every planet were available if needed. It was also noted if the individual had chosen something other than being returned home.

Then finally, there was an assessment of the ships, to determine what was salvageable.

Fifteen days after the battle, Archer sat in his ready room, his head in his hands. He looked up when the door chime sounded. He called out, "Enter." Hoshi came through the door with a PADD in her hand. "Here is the final list. Everyone has signed off on it. You said you wanted it as soon as it was ready." She looked exhausted.

Archer took it and looking sympathetically at her, "Thanks Hoshi, I appreciate your staying awake to get this done. You better get some sleep."

"Thank you, Sir. I was able to catch a little sleep waiting for some of the totals. If I may, Sir, you should get some sleep yourself."

"Thanks, Hoshi, I'll try to do so soon. Will you tell Captain T'Pol I would like her to join me?"

As Hoshi left, Archer picked up the PADD. After reading it, he shook his head, put down the PADD, walked over to his window and looked out at the stars. The door chimed again and heading back to his desk he called out for the person to enter.

T'Pol entered and waited by his desk, Archer sat down and indicated for her to sit as well.

"You wanted to see me, Admiral." T'Pol looked at him, noting that it seemed he was still neglecting his sleep. She had taken it upon herself to be with him as much as possible, concerned that he was pushing himself, that he was trying to do too much. They had not even discussed Porthos since that night. She felt he thought it would be inappropriate of him to deal with that when so much was going on. Unfortunately, she knew that suppressing his feelings on that just put more stress on him.

Before Archer could speak, T'Pol continued, "Excuse me Admiral, but General Shran and Ambassador Soval contacted me to remind us that we have a War Council meeting at 1900 hours. They feel we should prepare a message for the Fleet to honor the dead and wounded and celebrate our victory.

Archer nodded, but then said bitterly, "Some victory," reaching down and holding up the PADD, "We lost sixty-two ships, 4,025 killed, twenty-five missing, and 4,300 wounded. Another 'victory' like this and we won't have anything to fight with."

"I understand, but we did defeat one of Romulus's greatest commanders and destroyed over two hundred Romulan ships. Although everyone is saddened by our losses, there is also great pride in what we have accomplished. There seems to be a new unity among the various species. The Tellarites especially seem to have grown in esteem and are extremely proud of their role in the battle."

"As well they should be." Meeting her eyes, "I know, T'Pol, you're right. And I have noticed the feeling of this actually becoming a real alliance. It is just discouraging to know that the Romulans still have over a thousand ships to send against us, while ours will be difficult, and in the case of the five Vulcan ships impossible to replace."

"They may have the theoretical possibility of sending that many ships, but we know they are actually ill-equipped to spare even the ships they have already lost."

"You're right of course," smilingly adding, "As you always are." T'Pol tipped her head as if acknowledging the truth of his statement. He smiled more broadly and reached out to touch her hand. Then, retrieving his hand, he turned serious again, "But, from what we know of this Praetor, I don't think he will give up."

He then sat up, "But, enough of that. I asked to see you because Doctor Yuris informed me they are no longer in emergency mode and that it would be possible for me to visit the wounded without being in their way. I was hoping you would accompany me."

T'Pol face softened and she reached out and touched his arm, "I am glad you wish me to join you and would be pleased to do so."

Archer put his hand on hers and said, "Thank you."

They stayed that way for a few moments before Archer removed his hand and started to rise, "Well, if we have a Council meeting at 1900, we better get going."

After docking with the _Clara Barton_ , Archer and T'Pol were greeted by the Andorian Captain of the ship.

"Admiral, Captain, welcome aboard the _Clara Barton_."

Archer answered, "Thank you, Captain."

"I understand you are here to see Dr. Yuris and tour the wards."

"That's right, hope that will cause no problems"

"Of course not, Sir, Dr. Yuris is waiting for you in Sickbay One. If you'll follow me…"

They walked down halls reminiscent of a hospital. Several personnel passed in white uniforms, acknowledging them with a nod.

They arrived at glass doors similar to those on _Enterpris_ e.

"Here you are, Admiral. If you'll excuse me, I should get back to the bridge. If you need anything, let me know."

"Thank you, Captain, think we'll be all right, but will call you if we need to."

The Captain left, nodding to T'Pol. Archer and T'Pol entered a room that was a larger version of the Sickbay on Enterprise. There were bio beds next to various medical equipment. The room was not completely neat, towels and packages from bandages, etc. were strewn about. Yuris was sitting on one of the bio beds and rose to greet them, "Admiral, Captain, it is satisfactory to see you."

T'Pol spoke first, "It is agreeable to see you as well."

Archer added, "Yes, good to see you, Doctor." The looking around, "Where is everybody?"

"Sleeping, I hope. Although we tried to have everyone take some time off, we have all been on our feet for a great part of the last two weeks. When we finally got to the point where none of the cases were life-threatening, as least for those we could help, I told everyone to get some sleep and we would get back to work tomorrow. We just have follow-ups and some minor surgeries. We still have medical personnel in the Wards to let us know of any emergencies and take care of the patient's immediate needs. Although there are some cases that could go either way, I finally feel we have the situation under control."

T'Pol spoke up, "How many are still in danger?"

"I would say around fifty, but I am confident they will pull through. I must say, everyone did a remarkable job. Of those judged to have life-threatening injuries we saved more than 95% of them. Of course, many will need a long period of recovery and face further surgeries. Almost all of those cases will be sent home."

Archer, looking at T'Pol, "Well, we should probably get on with our tour, how is it set up?"

"Those that are still in danger are in intensive care, I must ask you not to go there. The ones that cannot be saved are in Ward 1. Those that are returning home are in Ward 2, and those that will eventually be returned to duty are in Ward 3. Basically, if their needs can be handled here or on their own ships we will keep them here. Anyone who needs prosthetics, however, are being sent home. We just do not have the personnel or time for the surgery and therapy that is involved." Looking at Archer, "Especially we cannot be sure what situations we will face in the future."

Archer, sadly, "I know." I just want you to know how much appreciate what you and the others have done. I was hoping to tell them personally, but if I miss a chance to do so, please convey my personal thanks and admiration and that of the War Council."

"Thank you, Admiral, I will be sure to do so."

"Guess we'll do the difficult one first. How do we get to Ward 1?"

"Just go out the door and down the hall to your right. Then for Ward 2, just come back out the door of Ward 1 and go to your right. For Ward 3 you will have to come back this way and continue down the hall to our left."

"Thanks," turning to T'Pol, "Ready to go?"

"Of course."

They went out the door and down the hall, passing through a door marked 'Ward 1 Authorized Personnel Only.' Inside there are one hundred beds but only twenty-two are occupied. Most of the patients are asleep, many covered in gauze while others have burn marks showing. One medical aide is moving around the room. She injected a hypo as a man writhed in pain. As they passed a bed, a man called out.

Talking with difficulty, "Who is it?" Raising his head slightly, he said in amazement, "Is that you, Admiral?"

"Yes, it's me. Looking closer, "Ensign Williams, isn't it?"

"Yes, Sir, didn't think you'd remember me. Who is that with you?"

T'Pol moved up and stood next to Archer, "It is Captain T'Pol."

"It's an honor to meet you both again." His face showed a burst of pain.

Archer, looking concerned, "The honor is ours. Would you like me to call someone?"

"No," his face contorted again. "I want to talk for a minute; they can give me a shot then. They don't tell us much here. What is the situation with the _Marseilles_? How about Captain Gerhart? The rest of the crew?"

Archer looked him sadly in the eye, "I am afraid the _Marseilles_ was destroyed. Captain Gerhart is dead. There were only eleven survivors. I am sorry." Touching his arm, "Maybe you should rest."

Williams began to tear up, "No, I want to talk." Smiling bitterly, "I'll get plenty of rest soon. She was a fine ship and Captain Gerhart a fine officer. We had just heard how the Vulcans were tearing the Romulans a new one, when we were attacked by two Romulan ships. We destroyed one of them," gasped with pain, "But just as an Andorian ship come to help us, we took a direct hit."

He then paused and seemed to make a decision, "Admiral, would you do a favor for me? I know it is presumptuous of me."

"If it's within my power, I'd be glad to."

Williams held out his hand, putting a necklace into Archer's hand, "If I don't make it, would you see that my wife Beth gets this? It was the first thing she ever gave me. I was going to have the officer who tells her…" His face contorted badly as his arm jerked, but Archer held on. Archer then said, "It would be an honor, I will see to it personally, but you'll see her yourself."

"Thank you, now maybe you should call that nurse."

Archer signaled her over. She administered a hypo and Williams slowly relaxed. Archer pulled his hand away as he placed the Ensign's hand back on his chest. T'Pol reached out and squeezed Archer's arm and he looked gratefully at her. As they continued to move around the Ward, T'Pol whispered to Archer, "What did he mean when he said the Vulcans were tearing the Romulans a new one?"

Archer smiled and had to hold back a chuckle, "Let's just say they were inflicting heavy damage on them and leave it at that."

T'Pol, slightly confused, "Very well."

Suddenly, one of the patients reached out and grabbed T'Pol's arm. A lock of shock and pain crossed her face. As Archer moved toward her, she waved him away as her face became stoic again. She gently began to pull the hand away when the man's eyes opened and he looked up at her.

"You're beautiful."

T'Pol face showed surprise for a moment before she recovered, She finished pulling his hand from her arm but continued to hold gently onto it, "Thank you."

"My Mary is beautiful too. Do you know my Mary?"

"No, I am sorry I do not."

"You would like her. She's a wonderful person. She's beautiful too."

"I am sure she is. Perhaps someday I can meet her."

As his arm went limp, "I think I should sleep now."

As T'Pol released his hand, he turned his head over and closed his eyes. Archer checked his pulse and called the attendant over. She came and ran her scanner. She then looked at Archer and T'Pol and shook her head. She took the sheet and pulled it over his head.

Archer put his hands on T'Pol's shoulders and pulled her off to one side, turning her face to look at him.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, Jonathan, I am fine. He caught me unaware and my shields were not prepared. I could sense his pain and despair." She turned slightly and leaned into him, "But I am recovered now." She looked back at the patient, "I would like to know his name."

They walked back over and T'Pol asked the nurse, "Could you tell us his name?"

She looked up at them surprised and then moved back the sheet. She pushed different buttons on her scanner to read the symbols on the tag around his neck. "His name is Darrell Simpson. He was a crewman on the _Admiral Forrest_."

T'Pol continued, "Is there a next of kin or his wife's name?"

"Yes, his mother Edna Simpson, it says he is single."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome Ma'am. Is that all." When T'Pol nodded, she put the sheet back and started to return to her duties, but Archer stopped her.

"What happens now?"

"Since there was nothing on his tag about any religious preferences or other wishes, I will notify whatever Doctor is on call. He will certify the death and his identity will be confirmed through his DNA. Then he will be taken to the _K'Tar_ to be processed. His name will be added to the list and sent to Starfleet." With sadness and a touch of bitterness in her voice, "Then Edna Simpson will get a visit from a Starfleet officer."

"Thanks again." She nodded and left.

T'Pol, looking down at him, "I wonder what Mary was to him?"

"Girlfriend, fiancée, sister?"

"It would be satisfactory if she could know his last thoughts were of her."

"As you know, the _Admiral Forrest_ was not destroyed, only one section was damaged. We could contact Captain Rogers and see if he knew if there was a Mary in Simpson's life. If he doesn't know, he could check with some of Simpson's friends."

"That seems logical."

"I'll contact him as soon as we get back to the ship. For now, let's move on to Ward 2."

Ward 2 was much different atmosphere than Ward 1. While many of them were in a similar state to those in Ward 1, largely sleeping and sedated, there were also those that were going home because of the loss of a limb. One of those was Captain Stewart of the _Mercy McBride_. Archer and T'Pol worked their way amongst the beds, occasionally stopping to talk to those who were awake. T'Pol was amazed at the reactions of these wounded, most severely. You would perhaps expect them to be bitter, to resent the Admiral, who had led them to their condition. But instead anyone who was aware, were thrilled to see him, eager to show their support, to want to join in celebrating their victory.

They finally worked their way to where those who had lost limbs were at. They came up to Captain Stewart who had lost his right arm. Archer spoke first, "Captain Stewart, I suppose I should thank you for saving _Enterprise_ from being damaged further, but," pretending to be displeased. "That really wasn't very smart."

"You're right Admiral, but it seemed the right thing to do at the time. Guess we were lucky we just got damaged instead of actually ramming him."

"We'll, I am sure you know that the damage was not that bad and the _Mercy McBride_ will continue to remain with the fleet."

"That was good news." Then he smiled, "Now, why can't I stay on as Captain? In the Civil War, men who lost limbs continued to fight. Missing one arm doesn't prevent me from doing my duty."

He smiled more broadly when the soldiers around him joined in, adding their voices and showing their support.

Archer smiled back, "From what I see and hear, I think you have a point. But I am afraid the Alliance policy is pretty cut and tried. You are just going to have to go home."

Then Archer noticed a small wooden plaque on the floor by Stewart's bed. "What is that?"

Stewart smiled and reached down with his good arm and showed it to Archer. It was emblazoned with the words The Mercy McBride. "It's from the ship. The crew decided I should have it as a souvenir." After a moment he said, "I was thinking though, Admiral, that perhaps Mrs. McBride would like to have it. Could you arrange to get it to her somehow?"

Archer smiled, "I have a better idea. Why don't you take it to her? You'll be home long before I will. Besides, I think she would like to hear about the _Mercy McBride_ from its captain."

Stewart shook his head, "I didn't even think of that. I guess I was still hoping I could stay somehow. You're right, Admiral, I'll deliver it personally."

When they entered Ward 3, there was a large cheer. T'Pol was a little shocked to see that some Vulcans actually joined in greeting and talking to them, celebrating a great victory. It was apparent that war apparently had the ability to form bonds. She still struggled that something that created so much pain, so many deaths, could also bring out some of the best in people.

In the back of the room two Andorians were talking, with a crewman from _Enterpris_ e listening intently.

"That is one beautiful woman. Too bad she's a Vulcan. I hear they only mate every seven years. Although I guess they almost make it worthwhile waiting."

Crewman Janes spoke up, "You shouldn't talk about the Captain like that."

"Oh, relax human, we are just having a little fun. Don't tell us you haven't thought about how it would be to sample that."

"The crewman had to smile, "I guess your right, she is pretty hot." Then after he hesitated a moment, "But it seems that she is already taken. The scuttlebutt is that she and the Admiral are really close."

"The Admiral! A human!"

"That's what I've heard."

In the next few days, Archer finished up the immense task of signing the thousands of letters for the next of kin. He was then informed of another task that needed his attention. Twenty of the humans that had died had requested to have their remains sent into space. Although the Starfleet procedures allowed any officer to perform the brief ceremony, Archer decided he needed to do it himself. So as not to make is seem like an assembly line, he arranged to have four done a day. He also insisted that the command crew of Enterprise be present in dress uniforms and that Taps would be played at the end of each day.

Just as they were about to leave for the first ceremony, Hoshi informed him that Captain Rogers of the _Admiral Forrest_ wished to speak to him. Assuming it was in reference to the question about Mary, Archer told Malcolm he had the Com and asked T'Pol to join him in his Ready Room.

Archer spoke first, "Dave, good to hear from you. Captain T'Pol is here with me, do you have some information for us?"

"No Admiral, I'm afraid I have nothing for you. I talked to all his friends, but none of them remembers him ever speaking of a Mary. I also looked through his personnel file. He's an only child." Then, after hesitating for a few moments, "There is something else, Admiral."

"What is it?"

"Crewman Simpson was gay. Are you sure you got the name right? Perhaps it was a man's name."

"No, he was struggling a little to speak, but he specifically said 'She'."

"Sorry I couldn't help. Anything else you need me to do?"

"No, not that I know of, thanks for your efforts. Archer out."

He turned toward T'Pol, "Well, that was disappointing, have any other ideas?"

"The only thing I can think of is to ask his mother, but I do not think it would be a correct time to do so."

"I agree, I did attach a personal note to the letter; but I don't think we should bother her with this now. Perhaps when we return to Earth, we can do a little more investigating."

"I must admit I see no other alternative for now."

For the next five days, Archer performed the ceremonies for the fallen soldiers. Malcom had rigged a projectile that used the torpedo tubes and exploded after being sent into space.

As he finished up the rites for the last crewman on the fifth day, Archer turned to signal that Taps be played for the final time. T'Pol stopped him by putting her hand on his shoulder, "It is not yet time for that, Admiral, there is one more to honor."

Confused, Archer looked at her as she handed him one of the Silver Plaques that were given to the next of kin.

He looked down at it and felt a large lump forming in his throat. On the plaque, embossed in the familiar gold script was CREWMAN PORTHOS ARCHER. Barely succeeding in holding back the tears, he looked up at his fellow officers.

Hoshi spoke up softly, "We figure he was as much a member of the crew as anyone and deserved the same respect." Trip joined in, "Yeah, after all he was the first crewman to ever step foot on an uninhabited planet."

Fighting the tears and the lump in his throat, Archer said hoarsely, "Thank you."

Then he noticed the Bay was filling up. He looked around and saw the crew of _Enterprise_ and men and women from other Earth ships were arriving. He was also stunned to see Shran and Soval with them.

Managing to gather himself, he once more said the words he had spoken so many times in the past five days. But this time, he did not have to remind himself to be sure to give them his best.

"Today we are gathered to honor the life and death of one who gave his life in the line of duty. While it is proper that we do so, we must humbly admit that our words cannot possibly reflect the depth of his sacrifice. Yet they are all that we have to express our deepest admiration and gratitude. As long as the stars exist, he will travel among them. As long as beings strive for freedom, he will be remembered."

He then stood at attention, commanding "Tenhut!"

As everyone in the room came to attention, the 'coffin' moved down the chute and was sent into space. Archer, with a catch in his voice, "Good journey, Crewman Porthos," then in a whisper, "Goodbye, my friend."

The sound of Taps fills the Bay.

Twenty-two days after the attack, Archer sat in his chair on the Bridge. All three steps had been completed. The remains of those ships deemed unsalvageable had been destroyed. Repairs were underway on all damaged ships, including _Enterprise_. It turned out that only five ships were determined so badly damaged that they needed to return to their home planets for Repairs. Arrangements were being made for them to be towed.

His thoughts were interrupted by Hoshi, "Admiral, that was the _K'Tar_. Captain Sonak says the _K'Tar_ and the _Nimmock_ are ready to leave."

"Understood. Notify the rest of the Honor Guard to get in position. Travis, move us to our place."

Twelve ships of the Alliance, three from each planet, formed a tunnel with the four flagships at the far end.

As the _K'Tar_ , bearing the dead, and the Andorian ship _Nimmock_ , bearing the wounded, passed by, all personnel aboard the twelve ships stood at attention, dimming all lights except the ship running lights. They stayed that way until the two ships passed through and went to warp.

Trip lied in his bed, wide awake. Sleep had not come easily lately. He had not realized how much his friendship with Kathy had meant to him. He now knew that it had masked many other things that troubled him. Kathy had enabled him to deal with them. The fact that his son was growing up without him gnawed at him. Now Kathy's death had added to his distress. He knew he was fighting depression, that he needed do something. It was beginning to affect his work. He thought of going to Phlox but remembered what had happened the last time he had done that. It had brought about Neuropressure and his involvement with T'Pol. Before he could stop it, something struck him. Perhaps T'Pol could help with his depression. As hard he tried to dismiss it, it refused to leave.

T'Pol was about to go to bed when her door chimed. She was surprised when it was Jonathan dressed in the sweats he wore to bed.

"T'Pol, I know I said I shouldn't do this… But I need to be with you."

T'Pol quickly said, "I have felt the same."

She rose as he reached her and enveloped her in a hug. He then kissed her tenderly on the mouth. Both understood this was not about lust or sex, but the need to be together, to touch, to embrace, to be there for each other.

After a time, she led him to her bed and T'Pol waited while Archer removed his boots and sweatshirt. They then laid down with T'Pol resting her head on his chest. Archer gently ran his fingers through her hair.

Archer spoke up, "I don't know how I would have been able to get through this if I didn't know that you loved me. It has been my rock, my strength."

T'Pol looked up at him, her heart beating faster as she was overcome with joy that he felt that way, that she could do that for the man she loved.

"I am glad, Jonathan, but you are vital to me as well. You are a part of me. You complete me."

Jonathan was a little stunned at her words, but then realized it was true for him as well. He put his arms around her and held her tight to him.

T'Pol snuggled up to him, getting as close as possible knowing this is where she belonged.

They exchanged one last tender kiss and then fell asleep, both at peace.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N Thanks to EroSlackerMicha for the review. I still own nothing. This chapter is somewhat shorter than recent ones, but it seemed to want to end when it did.**

The members of the War Committee had decided to make their speeches at the same time. In order to have everyone talk at a reasonable time, President Samuels speech was scheduled for four o'clock in the afternoon. Rumors had been flying for the last two days about what he was going to say.

Some of the tabloids had talked of a disaster, of a crushing defeat. Others spoke of a crushing victory, reminiscent of the first battle. Everyone agreed something apocalyptic had happened.

Ellen's visit had been just what Natalie needed and she had found a level of peace since Ellen had left. But as she sat waiting for the speech to air, she had asked her father to be there.

Jane McBride had been so busy working to make the Foundation a success she had not thought of much else. But now as she waited for the speech to begin, she wondered about Archer and T'Pol. She was amazed how close she felt to them. She knew it was because they were a tie to Mercy, because she knew how much T'Pol had meant to her.

Margot and her son sat in one of the elite boxes as she waited for Gartl to speak. He had informed her himself what had happened to her husband, being sure her son was there with her. Although she had sensed this was going to happen since Gral had left, she felt as if part of her had died. She knew she would never be whole again. But she also needed to be there for her son. She also felt a great sense of pride and satisfaction that he had died sacrificing himself. He had restored Tellar's pride.

Mary Robbins sat quietly, holding the last message she had received from Kathy, praying silently that Trip and Kathy were all right.

President Samuels and Admiral Gardner sat in a room adjacent to the one where Samuels was scheduled to give his speech.

"Well, Matt, it's about time. I hope I am up to this."

"I understand, Sir, it is difficult to strike the right balance between celebrating the victory and confronting the losses. But I know you'll do well because I know you understand."

"Thanks, Matt, I appreciate that. Well, wish me luck, here I go."

Entering the room, Samuels took his seat and looked into the camera, "Good afternoon, Citizens of Earth. As I speak to you today, the other members of the War Committee are speaking to their people as well."

"I know that there have been many rumors and stories about what has occurred. I ask you to set all that you may believe you know aside."

"Approximately a week ago, the Allied Fleet was attacked by a powerful Romulan Fleet commanded by one of their most esteemed Commanders. Unlike our first victory, the battle was hard fought. But, although the outcome was often at doubt, I want to assure you that the result was a singular victory for our Fleet."

"The entire Romulan Fleet was destroyed. Once again, we have shown the enemy our strength and resolve. I am sure you join with me in my deep appreciation and pride for the courage and strength of our soldiers."

Samuel looked up directly into the camera. "As I said, the battle was hard fought. We have suffered heavy casualties. Many of our ships have been destroyed. It grieves me deeply that in the weeks to come, many of you will receive the most horrible news that anyone must endure. I know that nothing I can say will lessen that pain. But I do hope that you will come to understand that they did not die in vain. That their sacrifice will allow us the living to live in peace and freedom."

"There were untold numbers of heroes in this struggle, but I do want to speak to you of one. You all know of Viscount Gral of Tellar, a member of the War Council. Some of you even saw him and met him when he was here for the fair."

"Viscount Gral and two of his fellow captains sacrificed their ships and their lives to make this victory possible. I want to take a moment to send my condolences to his wife and son."

"I do want to assure you that all other members of the War Council survived the attack."

He paused for a few moments. "I ask that all of us celebrate this victory, another step in allowing our soldiers to come home for good, another step to secure freedom for us and future generations."

"But I also ask that we think of those who gave their lives, those who suffered injuries and pain, the ones they left behind. To do what we can to ease their pain."

"With a belief in our future, while honoring the past, it is now for us to move forward, trusting in ourselves and in a merciful providence."

"Thank you."

Mary Robbins had felt strange all morning. She couldn't shake the notion that something important was about to happen. It came with a sense of dread. Thus, she was not completely surprised when she looked out her window and saw a Shuttle land in the Aeroport of the development. She felt a catch in her throat and her knees turned weak as she saw the Starfleet Logo on its side. Perversely she hoped they would go to a neighbor's house instead and then felt guilty for wishing so.

As if she was someone else, she watched the young female officer exit the Shuttle. 'She's a Commander' her mind told her; Kathy would be so proud I knew that. Then, her mind raced as the Commander came up her walk. As the woman reached the door, she found a last gasp of hope, maybe it was something else entirely, maybe Kathy had just been wounded, maybe she's selling tickets for some charity.

When the doorbell rang, she somehow managed to get to the door and open it.

"My name is Commander Sandra Henson, I am here as a representative of Starfleet Command." Checking a PADD, "Are you Mary Robbins, wife of Ensign Katherine Reynolds serving on _Enterprise_?"

Mary replied in a small voice, "Yes."

"May I come in?"

Mary moved out of her way and said, "Of course." She then retreated from the door and leaned against a table, the back of her knees against the couch.

After following her to the couch, Henson paused and gathered herself, "Mrs. Robbins, it is my sad responsibility to regretfully inform you that your wife, Ensign Katherine Reynolds, was killed in the line of duty."

Mary felt her legs suddenly become unable to support her and she fell back onto the couch. She began to cry, putting her head in her hands.

Henson moved over to her and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Is there anyone you would like me to call, someone that could be with you?"

Mary looked up and wiping her hands across her eyes, said with a catch in her voice, "No, there's just her grandmother and she's ill." She looked stricken, "How will I be able to tell her, it will kill her." She then turned her head and began to sob again.

"I don't know if this will help, but your wife died while saving her ship and the lives of her crewmates. She has been recommended to receive the Starfleet Silver Star for her actions."

Again wiping her eyes, Mary's voice was a little stronger, "It does, she was so proud of _Enterprise_ and her crewmates. I know it would give her peace of mind to know she didn't let them down." She looked up at Henson and stammered a little, "Do they have her body, I mean will she…?"

"Her body is being sent home with her fellow soldiers aboard the Vulcan ship _K'Tar_. It should arrive in approximately two months. You will be notified so, if you wish to do so, you can be there when she arrives back home."

Mary, beginning to regain some control, "I know you are probably busy, but could you tell me a little of how she died? Was it painful? Was she alone?"

Henson sat down beside her, "She died soon after being caught in an explosion. She did not suffer. It is my understanding that her commanding officer, Commander Charles Tucker, was with her when she died."

"Trip was there? I'm glad. I'm sure it meant a lot to her. They had become such good friends. Kathy was looking forward to holding Trip's son when she…." Mary began to cry softly again.

Henson again reached out to touch her shoulder, "I have a couple of things for you. Her personal effects will arrive with her body, but they transmitted these ahead. One is a standard Starfleet letter with a message from Admiral Archer, and a personal message from Commander Tucker. It also contains a letter from your wife that she wanted sent to you in the case of her death."

She held out a PADD. Mary, looking surprised, "A letter from Kathy?" She took the PADD and held it to her chest.

Henson, getting to her feet, "Will you be all right? I do have other duties to perform. Is there anything you need? Are you sure there is nobody I can call?"

"No thank you, you have been very helpful." She started to rise, "Here, let me show you out."

"No need to bother, I can find my way. Once again please accept my and Starfleet's sincere condolences for your loss."

Mary remained sitting for a time, clutching the PADD. Then she opened it and after reading the messages from Admiral Archer and Trip, which moved her deeply, she tentatively opened Kathy's letter.

 _My Dearest Mary,_

 _Well, this is a bummer! If you're reading this, it means I didn't make it. I hope I did myself proud and didn't let my crewmates down._

 _Oh, Mary, I so wanted to hold you again. I hope I let you know how much I loved you and how much that love meant to me. I am so lucky to have had you in my life._

 _Do you remember that night after we celebrated our first anniversary? I thought you were going to kill me (smiles lewdly)._

 _Now you listen, I don't want you to be a martyr. I want you to find someone. You have so much love to give, you deserve to have someone love you. Hell, I won't care, I'm dead!_

 _I do have something I want you to do. It may seem silly but it is important to me. When Trip gets home, I want you to go see him and hold their son. Other than holding on to your love, that has been something that has kept me going. Tell him his Auntie Kathy wished him the best._

 _Well, you know how much I hate goodbyes. God, this sucks! Take care, live a long good life. Do everything I would do!_

 _Your Beloved,_

 _Kathy_

"I'm sorry Kathy, but you're going to be hard to replace. You're right though, this sucks!" Half smiling and half crying, she got up and went over to her computer. After punching a few keys, the song _The Way We_ _Were_ filled the room. She sat back on the couch clutching the PADD crying softly as she rocked back and forth.

Solon had plenty time to reflect as he chose to walk from the Palace to Venter's home, accompanied by Raff and Donak. It had been almost three months since they had received the stunning news about Venter's defeat. Everyone that had been informed of the result had realized that they had never entertained seriously the thought that Venter would be defeated.

Solon had been shocked and dismayed by how Vandor had reacted. Not that he had not been affected deeply by the previous defeats, but this was much worse. He had shut himself away from everyone including Solon.

Although the public still was not aware of what happened, it had come to the attention of the Senate. Those that had been afraid to speak out against him had now found their voice. There were calls for a new Praetor. Fortunately, Ruddick still stood firm, at least for now; but unless Vandor snapped out of it, he could lose those that wanted to support him. There were also rumors that Barden and Seltar had returned with their fleets and they were uniting those fleets waiting for the opportunity to strike.

Solon had surprised himself when he decided that Tabrina needed to be told. He found he had developed a deep respect for Venter and felt his wife deserved to know what had happened.

As he reached her door, he signaled for the others to wait outside. He then knocked on the door. When she answered and saw who it was, he saw her body sag before she recovered.

"Ah, First Citizen, to what to I owe this honor?"

"May I enter?"

"Of course." She walked off and he followed her into the living room. As she gestured for him to sit down, "May I get you some refreshment?"

He sat down in the chair she indicated, "No, I am fine."

She sat down across from him and calling Mara in, obtained a bottle of Romulan Ale for herself.

Pouring herself a glass, she took a sip and surprised him by saying, "My husband is dead, isn't he?"

Solon hesitated but then nodded his head.

He saw her take a deep breath and then she asked, "Were we victorious?"

Solon sadly shook his head.

Suddenly she rose and walked away from him. Then she flung her glass against the wall and Solon could see her shoulders shake. Not sure how she would react, he walked over and laid his hand on her shoulder. She surprised him by leaning into his touch. Then, to his shock, she turned and laid her head against his chest, sobbing softly. He awkwardly laid his hand on her back.

They stayed like that for a short time before she broke away, wiped her eyes and took a huge drink from the bottle. Then she stood up straight and turned to face him, "I apologize for my actions. Venter would be quite ashamed of me."

Solon walked over and looked her in her face, "There is no dishonor in showing grief. I know I hold you in no less esteem."

They both sat back down. Having recovered her composure, Tabrina asked, "How did this happen? Did they have some other hidden trick?"

"No, from messages picked up by ships we had sent to monitor what happened, it does appear that they were more motivated to win. They seemed to find hidden resources within themselves, especially the Tellarites. We were also shocked to find that the Vulcan ships were superior to ours."

"I don't suppose we were able to kill Archer."

"No, although _Enterprise_ was attacked, he apparently survived." He looked at her, "It is true though that this time they did not come away unscathed. They suffered heavy casualties and a large part of their fleet was destroyed. They should be susceptible to a new attack."

He hesitated, "However, no one seem overly interested in doing so. There are many powerful voices supporting negotiating an end to the war, to turn our attention to keeping the Empire we have."

She rose angrily to her feet, "There is no one who will avenge my husband? Romulans do not negotiate. How can Vandor let this happen?"

"I am afraid that Vandor has been deeply affected by what has happened. He has for all purposes abandoned his post. There are many calls for a new Praetor."

Tabrina stared at him, "This is intolerable. I would have never thought that Vandor was such a coward."

She looked at Solon, "You must either convince him to reassert his authority or overthrow him and name yourself Praetor."

Solon could not help showing his shock. "You are mad. He is my Praetor and my friend. I should run you through for suggesting such an idea."

"You will have to kill me to stop me from doing what you and the others should be doing. Take me to him."

"He will not see you."

"We shall see. Well, are you going to take me to him or kill me? Those are your only choices."

Solon had to smile to himself, this woman continued to amaze him. For perhaps the first time in his life, he had some regrets about his vow of celibacy. Although he had a feeling she would be more than he could handle.

"Very well, I will call for a Shuttle."


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N Still not my property. I want to sincerely thank Mojo01 for the review. I wonder sometimes if I use too many OC's. But I have had this story in my head for a long time and I would feel remiss if I didn't give my characters their moments.**

When Archer awoke, he wondered for a moment where he was. Then he felt something very soft pushing against his arm. It all came back to him as he saw T'Pol lying next to him. During the night she had moved and her breasts rested on his forearm. Suddenly, unlike the night before, it was no longer just being there for each other. His body was sending a different message.

He slowly moved his arm, hoping to not embarrass himself or T'Pol. But she chose that moment to awake. He saw her look down and was surprised to see her Vulcan smile. He was now very aware of what she was wearing and knew he needed to move away or it would be very difficult to avoid actions they had agreed to refrain from.

He got to his feet and then realized his body was not conforming to his good intentions. He quickly turned his back and found his sweatshirt.

T'Pol found his actions quite interesting. She had of course studied human anatomy and recognized his situation. She asked innocently, "Is there something wrong, Jonathan?"

Archer stared at her, once more she surprised him. He decided to see how far she would carry this. "Are you offering to help, T'Pol?" He was rewarded with a very unvulcanlike blush.

Deciding this was getting dangerous, he moved to leave, but she rose and walked toward him, then embraced him and passionately kissed him. He returned the kiss and his hand instinctively rose to cup her breast. She moaned into his mouth.

But just when they were approaching a point that would be difficult to pull back from, the room communicator interrupted, Hoshi's voice intoned, "Bridge to Captain T'Pol."

It served to break the mood and T'Pol reluctantly pulled away. "T'Pol here."

"Captain, do you know where the Admiral is? I have an urgent message from Admiral Gardner. He insisted I get it to the Admiral at once."

T'Pol looked inquisitively at Archer, who just shrugged and spoke up, "I am right here, Hoshi, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

A slight hesitation, then "Yes, Sir."

Archer looked down at her, "That was close. It appears we may not be ready to be alone." Then he smiled, "But I have to admit I kind of wish Hoshi would have left us alone."

"I feel the same."

Archer gave her a quick kiss and left.

Archer sat in his ready room, waiting for Hoshi to finish up the connection to Earth. He wondered what had made the Admiral decide to utilize this form of communication. With a delay of over thirty minutes, it made for a rather tortured conversation. He had learned you needed to say as much as you could each time and avoid trying to treat it as a normal back and forth.

Hoshi's voice broke in, "We're ready, Admiral."

"Ok, Hoshi, send it through."

Admiral Gardner's countenance appeared on the screen. To avoid having to watch him speaking off and on with possible gaps, each speech was captured and sent all together. They would do the same for Archer's reply.

"Good morning, Jon. I know it is unusual for us to communicate in this way but I wanted to make you aware of this as soon as possible and get your response."

"For some time, the President has been considering a mission. The idea for it came from intelligence we received about a small planet located between the Fleet and Romulus. Apparently, it contains a huge Dilithium mine, a primary source of power for the Romulans."

"In some ways, the Romulans appear to treat it as we did the Depot. That is, that it is largely impervious to attack. When they terraformed the planet, they also treated the atmosphere so sensors cannot penetrate it. Also, the mine itself is so deep inside the planet that it could not be destroyed from the air even if you could pinpoint its location. The intelligence did provide a way that you can create a corridor to enable you to teleport someone to the surface."

"Because of these defenses, the Romulans keep only one ship in orbit. However, there is an armed Reman force on the planet itself. It is estimated at approximately two thousand soldiers."

"I know for some time that President Samuels has wanted to somehow take the offensive, to attack rather that just defend. To that purpose, he had a freighter converted to a troop ship and equipped to travel at warp seven."

"He has decided to send the troop ship and two starships to the planet and destroy the mine. Demolition experts will plant explosives deep in the mine and hopefully make it inaccessible for a long period of time."

"He plans to man the troop ship with 2500 soldiers of the Terran Army. They will be teleported down to engage the Remans and plant the explosives. As far as the starships, twelve new ships are ready to leave to join the Fleet. Two of them will be utilized for the attack."

"I want to make something clear. I have been against this attack from the beginning. I consider it far too dangerous. With the losses we have suffered in the last battle, I do not want to deprive the Fleet of even two ships for any amount of time. There are just too many unknowns. I have made my opinion known to the President but he is adamant about this. I even had the War Committee try to change his mind. But he is not to be denied."

"The ships are set to leave in the next week. They will rendezvous with the Fleet and then continue on to their mission. Whatever happens, you are not to attempt a rescue. We cannot afford to lose more ships."

Archer was stunned. What was Samuels thinking? The whole thing seemed very Quixotic. Gardner was right, even two ships could make a difference. He could assume that the Romulans would want to take advantage of his current situation.

He prepared his return message. "I agree with you Admiral; it seems highly speculative to me. I assume that there are no steps I can take to prevent it. If you think it will have any effect on the President, you can convey my concerns as well. Thanks for the heads up."

Gertrud Schneider was deeply torn. On the one hand, she was getting the opportunity she had always wanted, to lead her soldiers into battle. It was just that she never envisioned it being on a planet millions of miles from Earth against a largely unknown enemy.

She reflected back on the path that had led her to this.

 _Gertrud Schneider was the only child of a German military family. For hundreds of years, her family had served in the German military. As an only child, it was her future as well._

 _Nature had played a cruel joke on her. Something in her anatomy made her in the general shape of a barrel with no feminine figure at all. Her breasts were no more than a man's. With her looks, she had often been ridiculed. She had two sexual experiences in her youth, one with a man and one with a woman, both had ended badly for all involved._

 _She had taken her frustration and sublimated it into military service. She was the outstanding student at the Military School she had been sent to. When she reached the age of eighteen, she was ready to begin her military career. But fate was not done with her. It was that very year that the Vulcans accomplished perhaps their greatest feat for Earth; the formation of a World Government._

 _One of the consequences of that achievement was that all national militaries were disbanded. Two fighting forces kept their identities out of nostalgia but were under control of the World government, the United States Air Force and the British Navy._

 _Undeterred, Gertrud rushed to join the newly created Terran Army._

 _Once again she proved her mettle, and was quickly promoted to Lieutenant. But only three years after she joined, the Government decided there was little use for a land army, especially in lieu of the creation of a new elite force dubbed Military Assault Command Operations (MACO). It was decided they would be converted to a largely ceremonial force._

 _This was unacceptable to Gertrud and with permission of her superiors, she went directly to Parliament to make the case that it was of value to have a regular military force. She argued that it provided an outlet for young men and women. That military training was of great value. Impressed by her dedication and enthusiasm, Parliament agreed that the Army would continue to be trained as a fighting force for the next five years. When Gertrud pushed for a more permanent solution and became a constant thorn in their side, Parliament surrendered and since she was such a champion of it, decided to promote her to Major General and be in command of the army. But they also limited the size of the force to ten thousand soldiers._

 _Gertrud proudly accepted it and for the next fifty years, commanded the Terran Army. For the last ten years she was assisted ably by Colonel Mark Braddock. Under them, the army became a well-trained military force. She became a legend among her soldiers. She lived in a room just off the regular barracks and ate all her meals with them. Their only regret was that she never was able to lead them into battle._

After three long months of travel, the three Earth ships arrived at the planet they had deemed Roswell. As expected, there was only one Romulan ship. As they came out of warp, the Romulan ship moved away. Captain Arnold of the lead Earth ship _Arizona_ knew they would have called for help. The intelligence source placed the nearest Romulan base approximately ten days away.

Utilizing the technology the intelligence had suggested, they were able to form a corridor through which they could teleport the army to the surface. Once again they had trusted the source to choose a place away from the main Reman base. The troop ship had twenty-five teleporters and it took some time to get the entire army on to the planet.

As soon as her entire force was on the ground Gertrud set out toward where she had been told the mine was. She hoped the source could continue to be trusted. She had been told the two armies should be using comparable weapons.

She took the precaution of setting up a phase cannon along their path just in case they needed to retreat.

Her two demolition experts, Sam Gordon and David Marshall stayed close at hand. It took three days of marching before they were confronted by the Reman Army. For some time, both armies stayed in their positions observing the opponent. Then Gertrud made her move. She split her forces, taking 1500 men and moved to outflank the Remans. The remaining thousand men formed a line to cover her and provide reinforcements. The Remans moved to confront her and the battle began. For twenty-four hours, the battle ebbed and flowed, with neither side gaining an advantage. Gertrud realized this could not continue. They were slowly losing soldiers and no closer to reaching their objective. She knew she had to take a chance.

Hoping to take the enemy by surprise, she led her forces in an all-out attack against their left flank, hoping to be able to get them caught between her and Braddock's force. The attack seemed to be working and they were gaining an advantage when the Remans stunned her by suddenly sending their entire force against Braddock's line. At first it looked like their plan would succeed. The Earth line appeared to buckle, but then it became apparent that Braddock had kept a force of perhaps 250 men in reserve. At exactly the right moment, they counter-attacked and forced the enemy back. Now the advantage swung completely to the Terrans. The remaining Reman Army was caught between them and victory seemed to only be a matter of time.

Captain Arnold was in his seat when his armory officer informed him, "Sir, five ships are approaching. They're Romulan."

A Romulan Starship and four Troop ships dropped out of warp. Unfortunately, their source apparently had not known that the soldiers on the surface were exchanged out on a regular basis and their replacements had arrived.

There was no way for Captain Arnold to warn the Terrans. You could only communicate through the corridor and he knew they were no longer there. He could try to attack the troop ships but they were protected by the two Starships. He had strict orders not to risk his ships. It appeared the Romulans were of the same mind.

The Romulans quickly opened a corridor and were informed of what was happening on the ground.

As the Terrans continued to entrap the Remans, Gertrud was shocked when suddenly one hundred Reman soldiers appeared out of nowhere. As they stepped forward, one hundred more appeared behind them. Suddenly, it was the Terrans who were in danger. As the full contingent of two thousand Reman troops reached the ground, it was apparent the battle was lost.

Gertrud knew their only hope now was an organized retreat and try to save as many lives as they could. With a heavy heart, she told her aide to signal the retreat. Even in that horrible moment, she could feel nothing but pride as her soldiers maintained their control and followed their training. She quickly joined with her men as they began their escape.

Sam Gordon and David Marshall watched in amazement. It seemed they would not get their chance.

Marshall spoke first, "Come on Sam, we need to get out of here"

"Hold on a minute. I think I can maybe get to the mine."

"Are you crazy? Come on, let's go, we're falling behind."

"No, look, all the Remans are getting in the act. There will soon be no one between me and the mine. I think I can hide out and then get past them."

"You're nuts, but I guess it's worth a try. Let's find a place to wait until they clear."

"Not us. One person has a lot better chance of going undetected. Here, hand me your bag."

"Why do you get to be the hero? I'll go."

"It was my idea. Besides, you have a wife and kids to take care of. Now, give me your bag."

Marshall reluctantly handed it over. "Good luck, Sam."

"Thanks, Dave."

Sam moved to hide behind some rocks as David hurried to catch up with the retreating army.

Although the troops were following their training, it was a long and deadly retreat back to the corridor. Gertrud's foresight in placing the Phase Cannon proved to be a godsend and enabled them to save more lives. But then, when they were only a few hours from safety, there was the sound of a huge explosion. In spite of the situation, David Marshall had to smile. Sam had done it. He quickly informed Gertrud what he thought had happened. She was amazed; it appeared that as costly as it had been, the mission would be a success.

Finally, the retreating army reached the corridor and what was left of the attack force teleported out.

Gertrud was greeted by Captain Arnold. Before he could speak, she said, "I need to go back down there." As he just stared at her, she went on, "I have to try to arrange to carry out our dead."

Arnold finally got his voice, "I am sorry, General, but that is not going to happen. We need to get out of here."

Colonel Braddock then spoke up, "No, Captain, she's right. But I am the one that is going down."

Gertrud looked at him, "I am going down. I have a better chance as commanding officer." As he started to protest, she said, "That's an order, Colonel."

Seeing that the Captain was about to speak again, "Please Captain, you have to at least let me try. We can't just leave our dead on this God forsaken planet."

Arnold seemed to waver but then said, "Don't you think you should take some men with you?"

"No, I am not going to risk any more and one person should not be seen as a threat."

Commander Turki of the Reman force on the planet was not happy. Although they had routed the enemy, some had escaped. Worse, the explosion had collapsed the entire mine. It could be over a year before they would be able to get back where they were. Even then, who knew how much Dilithium had been destroyed. The Romulans would not be pleased.

At that moment, to his amazement, a human woman materialized not too far from him. Seeing she was alone and not armed, he told his men to hold their fire. Walking over to her, he was surprised to hear her speaking in Romulan. He realized she was wearing a translator.

"I am General Schneider, commander of the Terran Army. I have come unarmed and alone. I need to speak to your commanding officer."

"I am Commander Turki, why have you decided to give your life away?"

"Commander, as a fellow soldier, I hope to convince you to let me bring my fallen warriors home."

He stared at her, amazed at her courage. And he did understand, he would do all he could to see that his soldiers were returned to their families.

To her amazement he agreed. But they had only three hours and no one would be armed.

Gertrud wondered if she could trust him but decided she had to. She quickly contacted the ship and soldiers were sent down with gurneys.

The next three hours were a surreal sight as the Terran Army and the Remans worked together to gather the dead of each.

When the last bodies had been sent to the ship, only Gertrud and a couple of her men remained. She turned to Turki, "Thank you Commander, you are an honorable man."

"I am afraid I cannot let you go."

"What, but you said."

"I have kept my word. Your dead have been returned. But you have shamed me. The destruction of the mine has cost me my career and perhaps my life. I will avenge myself on you. It will be a fair fight. If you should kill me, you will be allowed to leave. No one on either side will be allowed to interfere. The battle will be with swords to the death."

Getrud stood there stunned. But she realized she had no choice. She nodded and then explained the situation to the men left with her. They objected and wanted to help but she ordered them to stand by.

Turki handed her a sword. Getrud had been a fencer and had actually also had some training with swords. But she was almost seventy years old and although she had kept herself in excellent shape, she knew she was no match for the powerful Reman facing her.

For a short time, she was able to defend his blows, but they both knew it was only a matter of time. In spite of her situation, she had to smirk to herself that even if she could strike a blow, she didn't know where she should strike. Who knew where his vital organs were located?

Then she had an insane idea, perhaps he didn't know where hers were either. If she would allow him complete access to strike her anywhere except in the head, he would presumably hit her where his vital weakness was. If the blow was not fatal, she would know where to strike. She knew the odds were astronomical that it would work, but she really had no choice. On his next attack she overprotected her head. She saw what appeared to be a grin on his face and he swung his sword down striking her at rib level on her right side. The blow was horribly painful and blood spurted out, but she still had enough strength to strike him in the same place. Although her blow was delivered with less power, the result was more satisfactory, blood came gushing out and he had a look of amazement on his face as he collapsed on the ground. Gertrud collapsed next to him feeling herself threatening to black out. Two Reman soldiers came over and found Turki was dead. They announced she was free to go. Her two men rushed to her, one tearing off his tunic to attempt to stop the bleeding as they signaled the ship to beam them up. The last Gertrud remembered was Colonel Braddock, "My God, General. Hurry, get her to sickbay."

Gertrud awakened, feeling groggy she struggled to figure out where she was. Then it all came back to her. As her eyes focused, she was stunned to see the smiling face of Admiral Jonathan Archer above her.

"Welcome back, General. Everyone thought we had lost you. You have been sedated for over a month. It appears there was some kind of bacteria on that sword that caused a very nasty infection. But with Phlox's help, it is all gone."

"Where?"

"You're on _Enterprise_. Now, I better quit talking. There is someone that has been waiting a long time to see you, but I needed to assert my rank and congratulate you on the success of your mission."

"Thank you, Sir."

"And now I better step aside before the Colonel risks his career."

The smiling and concerned face of Colonel Braddock replaced him. "It's great to have you back, General, we thought we'd lost you."

Gertrud stared, was that a tear on his cheek?

She got out, "How many…?"

Braddock had to smile sadly; he had known her first thoughts would be of her men. He looked her in the eye, "We had 1,321 dead."

Gertrud felt herself tearing up, she had lost more than half of her command.

Braddock knew what she was thinking. "It could have been far worse. Only your training and leadership saved as many as we did."

"Where is everyone?"

"They're all aboard the ship. Now that you are feeling better, we will be leaving soon for home."

He surprised her by taking her hands. "We have all been pulling for you. No one wanted to go home without our commander."

Gertrud was getting ready for bed. Except for a small scar, all physical signs of what had happened had gone. As soon as she was able, she returned to her men. Now, three months after returning, things had seemingly returned to normal.

She was surprised when there was a knock on her door. Who would want to see her at this hour?

She put on a robe and opened the door to find Colonel Braddock there.

"What is it, Colonel? Is there a problem with the men?"

"No, there's no problem. May I come in?"

She stepped aside and walked with him to her desk. He spoke up, "This could have waited until tomorrow but I wanted to get it over with."

He looked down at her, "I am turning in my resignation. I feel Marge has waited long enough."

Gertrud felt sadness but understood. Braddock and Marge had been in love for many years. She had patiently waited for him to leave the Army, knowing how important it was to him.

Gertrud smiled, "Yes, she has." She hesitated, "We will miss you. I'll miss you."

Suddenly a strange smile appeared on his face. He seemed to make a decision. Suddenly, he moved toward her and before she could stop him, he embraced her and kissed her on the mouth, his tongue seeking entrance. She recovered and pulled back, "Colonel…"

He smiled and said, "Under the circumstances, I think you should call me Mark."

Then he kissed her again and she was stunned when she felt herself respond, feeling things she never had before. Then his hands pulled her robe off her shoulders and started to open her nightgown.

She put her hands on his trying to stop him, "Don't…"

"Shh, Gertrud, let me do this."

Suddenly she was ashamed, "But I am so ugly."

Then her gown was open and his hands were on her pitiful breasts, tweaking the nipples. Then he bent down and ran his tongue over them. "I think you're beautiful."

As he continued his ministrations, Gertrud found herself almost believing him. Pleasure coursed through her. She moaned and murmured, "Mark…"

Then he stepped back and disrobed as she looked in awe at his beautiful body. Then he swept into her arms and kissing her passionately, carried her to her bed.

Major General Gertrud Schneider, supreme commander of the Terran Army, gasped as he entered her and then succumbed to her first orgasm.

Afterwards, they both got dressed and she said quietly, "Thank you, Mark."

He smiled and kissing her gently on the mouth, said, "It was my pleasure."

When he reached the door, he turned and coming to attention, he gave her a crisp salute which she returned.

After he left, she took his discharge papers and quickly signed them. Then, returning to her bedroom, she smiled contentedly and was soon fast asleep.


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N I am still just borrowing these characters. I want to thank AnonymCzZ for the reviews. I know I sound like a broken record, but reviews do make my day. At the same time, I also want all my readers to know how much having people honor me by reading my stories means to me.**

When Tabrina and Solon arrived at the palace, they went directly to Vandor's office. Although they had been given orders to not allow anyone in, his men still obeyed Solon and they were allowed to pass. When they entered the office, Tabrina was shocked when she saw Vandor. The man before her seemed just a shadow of the proud man she had known. He seemed to be taking no pride in his appearance, looking like he had been wearing the same clothes for some time.

He looked up when they came in, "Solon, what do you think you're doing? Why have you brought her here?"

"I felt she had the right to know of her husband's death and she insisted on coming to see you."

Tabrina's plan had been to try to shame the Praetor into moving forward to launch an attack to avenge her husband. She now realized that the problem ran much deeper than that. She immediately changed her plans. "Do not blame Solon, I took advantage of his honor to say I wanted to seek vengeance for my husband. While that is true, my concerns run much deeper than that. Solon informs me that some high placed individuals are actually considering negotiating for peace. I could not believe that the Vandor I know would ever consider such a degrading solution."

Vandor gave a sad smile. "Since you are here, have a seat." As they sat down, he went on, "I am afraid that Vandor no longer exists. It has become apparent to me that I am not the man to be in this position. And as for suing for peace, who am I to question them when it is my incompetence that has caused us to be in this situation."

Then he looked at her, "You more than anyone should understand. I have cost you your husband."

"You have done nothing of the sort. My husband was a soldier who lived to serve the Empire. You did not kill him, the Alliance did and now we are considering rewarding them for it. Solon informed me that the battle cost the Alliance a significant number of ships. If we attack them now, we will see to it that my husband did not die in vain. To let them get away shames his memory."

Vandor looked down, "Where would you find the ships to attack with? Who would be willing to follow my orders? Besides, maybe the doomsayers are right, the need to preserve the Empire comes first."

"If we give in to the Alliance, the Empire is for all purposes lost. Who will fear us then? Our aura of invincibility would be lost. No, the Alliance must be defeated. Only then can we move to regain control. Above all, Archer must be killed, the myth about him destroyed."

She continued, "As for ships, what of Barden and Seltar's ships? Since they have chosen to leave their posts, we should put them to use.

Vandor smiled again, "I am afraid those fleets no longer answer to me. They are ready to serve a new Praetor."

"How about Ruddick? Does he not still follow your orders?"

"There appears to be some question about that. It is rumored he seeks the throne himself."

Tabrina was stunned. The situation was much worse that she had even considered. She thought for a moment she should seek support from Ruddick. But she realized that if Vandor remained out of it, those seeking peace would most likely prevail.

She spoke up, "You must realize if you do not make use of your power, all could be lost. Will weakness preserve the Empire? No, you must reassert command and find ships to crush the weakened Alliance. Only a victorious Empire can solve its problems."

Solon, who had been listening intently, continued to marvel at Tabrina. She was making sense, but he feared she underestimated the task ahead. Neither the Senate nor its fleets would give up their goal to remove Vandor easily. It would almost surely involve conflict.

Vandor was speaking, echoing Solon's thoughts. "You are a remarkable woman, Tabrina and you speak eloquently for your beliefs. But you grossly underestimate what is involved in my reassuming power. The Senate and their fleets will not give up their goals. If Ruddick does stand by me, and that is still unknown, the result will likely be a Civil War. With me stepping down, there is hope it can be done peacefully."

Tabrina was beside herself, "Peacefully! Negotiate! Surrender! What have we become? Vulcans? "My husband would be appalled. He died for this?"

She sneered at Vandor, "You have found your place in life. Hiding out, afraid to show your face. Why don't you just kill yourself and save everyone a lot of effort?"

Vandor grew irate, "No one talks to me like that." Rising from his chair, he drew his knife and moved toward Tabrina. But Solon stepped between them, his sword drawn.

Vandor ranted at him even as he stopped, "You would stop me? Did you not hear what she said?"

"I heard and there was a time I would run her through myself for speaking to you like that. But that was before you gave up. Before you became someone I do not recognize. Before you shamed me and your tribe."

Vandor stared at him and then walked back to his chair. He sat there quietly for a time, not looking their way. Then he turned back to them and said quietly. "I have a lot to think about. Will you leave me now?"

Solon looked at him for a moment and then took Tabrina's arm and walked with her out the door.

Mary Robbins had visited the Lakeland Good Samaritan Home on many occasions, but she wished to be anywhere else now. It had been five days since the Commander had visited her and she had finally gathered enough courage to break the news to Kathy's Grandmother, Henrietta Nelson. She had arranged to meet with the head of the Home and he told her that a Mrs. Edna Brown was a close friend at the Home. So now she and Edna found themselves outside Henrietta's room.

Taking a deep breath, Mary opened the door. She saw Henrietta break into a smile when she saw her, but it quickly faded when she saw Edna was with her. They moved to stand by her chair and Mary started, "Good morning, Grandma Nelson."

Henrietta looked past her at Edna and nodded as if she saw something she had expected.

"Kathy's dead, isn't she?"

Mary was stunned, but managed to sadly nod.

"Was it during the battle?"

When Mary nodded again, she said, "Did she die well?"

Mary moved closer, "Yes, in fact they are recommending she receive a medal."

Henrietta nodded, "I am so proud of her."

Then Mary started to cry and Henrietta reached out her arms and said, "Come here, dear."

Mary leaned down and they hugged as Mary cried into her shoulder.

After a few moments she stepped back, wiping her eyes, "I'm sorry, I came to console you, not have you need to console me."

Henrietta smiled, "Helping you cope is the best thing to help me cope as well. It made me so happy when you and Kathy got together. You were so beautiful together."

She looked up at Edna. "Thank you so much for being here. You and I will talk later."

Edna nodded and turned to leave, "I am so sorry for your loss. I will miss her coming to visit."

Henrietta turned to Mary. "Why don't you sit down and tell me all you know."

Mary sat down and handed her a PADD, "Here is what I received from Admiral Archer and Commander Tucker." She hesitated, "There is also a letter from Kathy to me."

Henrietta looked surprised but then leaned forward, "Let's read them together."

Natalie had finally gotten Charlie down for his nap and was looking forward to some time alone. She left the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her. Suddenly, the front door burst open and Parker came storming through the door. Natalie absurdly thought, 'I forgot to lock the door again, Trip will be upset with me.'

He rushed across the room and backhanded her across the face. She reeled back, bounced off the wall and slid to the ground feeling blood in her mouth. Before she could recover, he was on her, his weight on her body and his hands pinning her arms down. She tried to struggle but he easily held her down.

She started to scream, but remembered Charlie in the other room and stifled it. He began to tear at her dress. With one arm free she tried to hit him but he slapped her again, smashing her head into the floor. Dazed, she realized he was tearing her underclothes away. Suddenly, he was in her. The pain and shock immobilized her for a moment, but then she tried to push him off her but he held her down. Then mercifully he was done. In a surreal moment she thought to herself, 'What a lousy lover, no foreplay and done so soon.' Then the shock and shame hit her and she cried out softly and pushed at him to get him off her.

Parker got up, pulling up his pants and grinned down at her. "How was it to have a real man?"

"You Bastard, you pig, just get out of here!"

Still grinning, he chuckled and reached toward his pocket. "Not quite yet, Sweetie. First, I am going to kill that precious little brat of yours in front of you and then finish you off. Tucker will no doubt figure out who did it but he'll never find me. Maybe I'll come back and kill him too."

Natalie suddenly saw nothing but red, it filled her eyes and mind. Without thought, she got to her feet faster than she would have thought possible. With a scream she leapt at him, her fingernails going for his eyes. Caught off guard, he barely was able to get his arms up to grab her wrists. She quickly drove her knee as hard as she could into his groin. He collapsed to the floor, holding himself and went into a fetal position on his side.

He managed to painfully say, "You Bitch."

Still acting completely without thought, caught up in incredible anger, she took the solid metal figurine off the coffee table and started to strike him on the head. At first he screamed out, but as time went on he came completely still. As for her, she never let up, striking him over and over, the blood staining the rug, her body, and what is left of her clothes.

Then she heard a voice cry out, "Mommy!"

Like coming out of a trance, she looked back to see Charlie standing there, his eyes wide and staring, tears coming down his cheeks.

Suddenly the anger was completely gone. Without even looking at Parker, she put the figurine carefully back on the table, and pulling what clothes she had left around her body, she walked slowly toward Charlie, speaking softly to him.

"It's okay, honey, the bad man won't hurt you or Mommy." She took him by the hand and led him back into the bedroom. Wanting to hug him but cognizant of the blood on her, she carefully picked him up and laid him on the bed. She then slowly caressed his hair and sang softly to him, being careful to keep her blood off him. After a time, he finally settled down and closed his eyes.

She got up and removed the last of her clothes and picked a loose sweater and slacks out of her closet. She went in the bathroom off the bedroom. Knowing she should not shower because of the need to preserve the evidence, she settled for washing the blood off her skin. She then dressed and returned to the bedroom and sat down on the bed next to Charlie.

Picking up her phone, she was about to contact the Police when she thought of the notoriety and publicity that would occur. Instead she dialed a different number.

Lieutenant Benson answered the phone, "Starfleet Security, this is Lieutenant Benson."

"This is Mrs. Charles Tucker. A man broke into my home and assaulted me. I killed him."

Benson was stunned, "Uh, Mrs. Tucker, uh."

Noticing Benson was apparently struggling, Commander Brasket walked over and inquired, "What's the problem, Benson?"

Looking up at his superior, Benson stammered, "It's a Mrs. Tucker, Sir. She says she has been assaulted. I was just going to tell her she should call the police."

Commander Wendell Brasket had been in Starfleet for a long time. He was well aware of politics and spotting incidents that required special handling. "Mrs. Charles Tucker?"

"Yes, Sir."

Brasket's mind quickly rushed through the needed information. Mrs. Charles Tucker, wife of Commander Tucker of _Enterprise_ , a hero of the Xindi mission currently off to war. Something else… of course, her father, Lester Warren. He took the phone from Benson, "Mrs. Tucker, this is Commander Brasket. How can I help you?"

"As I told the other man, I've been raped in my home. The man is dead."

"I understand, Ma'am." He quickly punched up some information on the computer, "Are you at your home in the Glades? Does anyone require immediate medical attention? Are you in any danger?"

"Yes, No, I will be okay."

"We will be there as soon as possible."

As Brasket hung up, Benson spoke up, "I don't understand, Sir, this is not our area. She should call the police."

"Let me worry about that Lieutenant. As far as you are concerned, this call did not occur. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir."

Brasket pushed a button on the console.

A face appeared on the screen, "Ensign Perkins."

"Perkins, this is Brasket. I want a female doctor and nurse, along with you and Saunders to meet me in Shuttle Bay 7 ready to leave in ten minutes. We'll be taking an unmarked Shuttle."

"Understood, Sir!"

As he left, Brasket called out to another officer, "Stevens, you're in charge until I get back."

"Yes, Sir."

After he left, Benson spoke again, "What was that all about?"

Stevens answered with steel in his voice, "Didn't I hear the Commander tell you that nothing has occurred?"

Benson now subdued, Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir."

The shuttle came to rest on the landing area next to the Tucker house. Saunders and Perkins climbed out followed by Brasket, Dr. Helen Browning, and Ensign Veronica Hastings.

Brasket, starting to head for the house, "Perkins, take a Phaser, stay by the Shuttle and stop anyone who tries to enter the house. Saunders, you take a Phaser and check out the grounds. The rest of you come with me."

When they rang the doorbell, it took a few moments for Natalie to answer. They noticed her puffed lips and face, her eyes red as if she had been crying.

"Mrs. Tucker, I am Commander Brasket."

Natalie nodded and moved out of the way. As they entered, Hastings involuntary gasped as she saw the battered body on the floor surround by blood with the head beaten to a pulp. Brasket walked up and looked at the body.

"Had you ever seen him before, Ma'am."

"Yes, his name is Parker. He used to be in Starfleet until he was kicked out. He held a grudge against my husband."

"I see, thank you." Inwardly he sighed in relief. With the assailant once being in Starfleet, it would be easier for him to justify the actions he's taken.

"Now, Ma'am, is there some place Dr. Browning could examine you?"

"My son is sleeping in the master bedroom. If one of you could please look in on him, we can use the guest room. It's this way."

Meanwhile, Dr. Browning had knelt beside the body and was scanning it. "He's been dead for less than two hours."

Brasket went on, "All right, Doc, you go with her. Ensign, why don't you stay with the boy? You can let us know if he wakes up. Mrs. Tucker, after the Doctor is done, you and I need to talk."

"Of course."

While Ensign Hastings went to be with Charlie, Natalie and Dr. Browning went into the guest bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Dr. Browning spoke first, I'm sorry we have to put you through this…"

"It's all right, I understand."

"First let me look at your face." She leaned over and ran a scan over Natalie. "Well, the good news is that it looks like nothing is broken. Your teeth seem to be all right. I'll give you something for the pain and swelling. Shouldn't be any sign of it in a couple days. Now could you please get undressed?"

Natalie slipped off her clothes and sat on the bed.

"Please lie back on the bed and bring up your knees. Here, let me put this pillow under your lower back. We should be doing this in a hospital but Commander Brasket seems to think you want this kept as discreet as possible."

"Yes, and I appreciate it."

Browning ran a scanner and took some swabs. "There is some vaginal tearing, but does not seem too severe. There is no bleeding. I would like you to see your own Doctor as soon as possible for a complete examination."

"Alright."

"Did he sodomize you or abuse you in any other way?"

"No," then Natalie shocked herself by giggling, "Just the missionary position." She then blushed "I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from."

"Don't be ashamed, just a result of the trauma and shock. I'll give you something to relax you so you can get some sleep. Now, you can get dressed. Do you want to take a shower or are you ready for the Commander?"

"I'd love to, but I want to get this over with. I'll shower later."

"Alright, just let us know when you are dressed."

Browning went out and went over to where Brasket and Perkins were standing by the body. Perkins was taking photos from various angles.

Brasket turned toward her, "How is she?"

"Hanging in there. Certainly appears she was raped. I got a semen sample. She'll let us know when she's dressed."

"Okay." He held up Natalie's torn and bloody clothes. "Ensign Hastings found these in the bedroom." He also showed her a switchblade knife. "Found this in his pocket. Doc, do you see anything that points to anything different than the obvious? That this Bastard came in and raped her?"

"No. Do we know how he got in?"

"That is one thing we need to ask. I had Saunders check down around the gate. Looks like somebody messed with the Security System."

Natalie opened the door to the bedroom, "I'm ready now."

Indicating to Perkins to remain where he was, Brasket and Browning head back to where Natalie was. Natalie sat on the bed while Browning took a chair. Brasket remained standing and took a Recorder from his jacket. "Okay, Mrs. Tucker, we'll do this just as fast as we can. Just tell us in your own words what happened."

Natalie took a breath, "I had just put Charlie down for his nap and I had just closed the door when the front door burst open and Parker came barging in."

"The door was unlocked?"

Natalie looked down, "Yes. If Trip told me once, he told me a hundred times. To set the Security System and bolt the door. But I was too Goddamned stupid…."

"Had you set the Security alarm?"

"Just the outside one…" She looked up, "I should've heard an alarm…"

"One of my men found someone had tampered with the system."

"He…Parker… was an engineer in Starfleet."

"Go on."

"Before I could do anything, he rushed over and struck me. I fell and he was on me. I tried to fight but he held me down and hit me again. Then he…" She looked up at him, tears in her eyes, "I tried to fight him, I didn't scream because of Charlie. I tried…" She put her head in her hands, sobbing.

As Browning got up and put an arm around her shoulder, Brasket reassured her, "There is nothing you could have done. Do you need a moment?"

Natalie, wiping her eyes, "No, let's keep going."

"Did he say anything?"

Natalie looked gratefully at Browning, who returned to her chair.

"Not until it was over. I pushed him off me and he said something about having it done by a real man. Then he said he was going to kill Charlie and then me."

She looked up meeting his eyes, "Then I don't know what happened. I just lost it. I have never felt such hatred and anger. I got up somehow and went for his eyes. He grabbed my wrists but I kneed him and he went down." She lowered her head, "I grabbed the figurine that sat on the table and hit him. I just kept hitting him over and over. I don't know how long I would have kept going but then I heard Charlie say mommy behind me." She looked back up, "Suddenly the anger was gone and I took Charlie to the bedroom and got him back to sleep. Then I changed clothes and washed off the blood. I was going to call the Police but I thought of the Press and called you. I'm not even sure what I had in mind. That's about it."

"Did he have a weapon?"

"I didn't see one. But he was reaching for his pocket just before I lunged at him."

Brasket showed her the knife, "He had this in his pocket."

Natalie turned pale and looked stricken.

"Had he ever threatened you?"

Natalie took a deep breath and seemed to recover somewhat. "Once at the 602 Club, before Trip and I were married, he came up and said some bad things to Trip. He didn't really threaten him. I don't know what happened to him after that, except Trip mentioned he had been thrown out of Starfleet."

"Do you have anything more to add?"

"No, what happens now?"

Brasket glanced at Dr. Browning, "We have a body bag in the shuttle. We'll take Parker with us." He hesitated for a moment, "Mrs. Tucker, I have to call the police." Seeing the look of disappointment on her face, "I have a friend on the force, a Lieutenant Graves, who owes me a couple favors. I think he will go along with us keeping the lid on this. But the body will have to be turned over to civilian authorities and his next of kin notified. I hope that once they know what happened, they will want to keep this quiet, but if they do want to go public, then all bets are off."

"I understand, I really appreciate what you have done."

"Glad to help, hope our luck continues. But the Lieutenant will need to talk to you. He will want to be sure that everything is how we have said it. Oh, don't have the carpet changed until the police have been here."

"Of course. When do you think the police will contact me?"

"I don't think it will be until sometime tomorrow. He'll want to go over what we have. We'll take the clothes and the figurine for evidence." Nodding to Browning, "Well, I'll get Perkins and Saunders to take the body and we'll get out of your hair."

As he turned to leave, Browning stopped to talk to Natalie, handing her a couple bottles. "Take these. One should help with the pain and swelling and the other should help you get some sleep. Is there anyone you can call to be with you?"

"I called my father. He and my sister-in-law are on their way from Florida."

Brasket turned back at the door, "You should have told us, we could have sent a Starfleet Shuttle for them."

"Thank you, but he is planning to use his company shuttle."

"I see. Are you sure you will be alright? I can leave a man outside."

"No, I'll be fine. Thanks again."

Mary Robbins looked up at the impressive edifice of Star Port 17. She stood by the hearse that was one of hundreds arrayed in the parking lot. Grandma Nelson sat in a wheelchair under an umbrella next to her. When Mary had told Henrietta about Kathy's body being returned, she had been stunned, although she supposed she shouldn't have been, when Henrietta insisted that Mary would make sure she was there as well.

So, when Starfleet notified her when the K'Tar would arrive, she had notified the Home. In spite of her doctor's objections, Henrietta had been adamant about going.

The K'Tar had arrived in orbit and shuttles traveled to and from it, bearing the bodies to the Spaceport. They were then checked and rechecked as to their identities and placed in coffins draped with the blue Flag of Starfleet. Those who had chosen to meet their loved ones had been assigned places in the lot and the coffins were carried to that location by a Starfleet Honor Guard. The body was loaded on to the hearse and the flag ceremonially folded and given to the indicated individual.

Finally, Mary and Henrietta were notified they would be next. They watched as Kathy's coffin was carried to them and placed in the hearse. When the soldiers folded the flag and handed it to Henrietta, she shed her first tears as Mary hugged her. The soldiers gave their condolences before they saluted and left.

It had been a week since Natalie had finally visited her doctor and she sat quietly looking out her kitchen window, watching Charlie playing outside. She had spent much of her time this way during the week. One blessing from the whole affair had been that apparently Charlie remembered nothing of what had happened. The Therapist had said that didn't mean than it might not someday come to him.

Suddenly she sat up as if something had occurred to her. At first, she seemed to shrug it off, but then she quickly rose and made a quick phone call. She went into the den and looked through a drawer, pulling out a diagram. She glanced at it and put it in her purse. Checking on Charlie, she then combed her hair and changed clothes. After putting on a light jacket, she crossed to the back door and called Charlie into the house.

As he entered, she told him, "Charlie, Mommy has to run an errand. I just called Myra and she said you can stay with her while I am gone. I shouldn't be long."

Charlie smiled, "That's okay, Mom, she always has chocolate chip cookies."

Checking to be sure everything was secure, she took Charlie out to the car and they drove off. Stopping in front of a house about three blocks from home, she walked Charlie up to the door and rang the chime. They are greeted by a slightly plump woman in her early sixties.

"Here he is, Myra; I want to thank you again for helping out on such short notice.

"Don't think a thing about it, dear. Mr. Higgins ran off to golf and I was wondering what I was going to do all day."

Charlie piped up, "Can I have a cookie?"

Natalie started to admonish him, but Myra just smiled and said, "Of course, Charlie, I just got some out of the oven. In fact, you can have two."

Natalie told Charlie goodbye, returned to her car and drove off. Starting the GPS on her phone, she headed up toward the hills surrounding San Francisco Bay and eventually turned off the road, passing through a gate. Then, consulting the diagram, she traveled up a winding road until she reached the bottom of a small hill. Verifying the location against the diagram, she exited her car.

It's a beautiful fall day, the kind the City Fathers brag about. As she stood by her car, she noticed no one else was around. As she climbed the slight incline, a cool breeze suddenly struck her, causing her to clutch her jacket around her. Upon reaching the top of the hill, she realized what a beautiful spot they had found. The view was over the Bay and she could see the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

The tiny grave was in the shade of an old majestic tree, now resplendent in its fall colors. The grave was marked with a simple white headstone, bearing the words:

ELIZABETH TUCKER

CHERISHED BABY DAUGHTER

OF

CHARLES TUCKER III OF EARTH AND T'POL OF VULCAN

ASHAYA

JANUARY 2155

"Hi, Elizabeth, you don't know me. I'm Natalie, your Dad's wife. I wasn't exactly sure why I felt drawn to visit you, but now that I am here, I understand. I needed to remind myself that no matter what evil was involved in creating a life, that life is still beautiful and precious. Now I am going to have a little girl and I know that Trip and I will love her as much as your father and mother loved you. And although she can never replace you in your father's heart, maybe she can help to ease the pain." Wiping a tear from her eyes, she took a deep breath before going on. "When your father gets home, and the baby is born; we'll all come, even Charlie, to spend some time with you." Pausing, "I hope your mother can come too."

After standing quietly for a short time, she made her way back down the hill, entered her car and drove away. Instead of picking up Charlie, she returned home. She took off her jacket, crossed to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. She entered the den and sat by the desk. After she took a few sips, she picked up a PADD and began to write:

 _Dear Trip,_

 _There is something I need to tell you. It will shock you, sadden you, and make you angry. Please read past it all the way to the end because I believe there is something good that has resulted from this that I want to share with you._

 _About a month ago, Parker raped me in our living room. Afterwards he threatened to kill Charlie and me. I got so angry and crazy that I kneed him and then hit him over and over with that figurine you always hated. I kept hitting him long after he was dead. He had hit me a couple times, but I am all right. Starfleet Security and the police managed to keep it out of the news. It appears he had become violent toward his wife and children as well._

 _Please don't feel guilty that you weren't here. It could have occurred even if you had been on Earth._

 _Trip, I am going to have a baby, a girl. I have absolutely decided that I will not abort her. I want to raise her as our own. But if you feel that you could never raise or keep his child, I understand. Although it would hurt me, I would accept putting her up for adoption._

 _I'm sorry you have to hear it from me this way. I put off telling you about the rape because I wanted to be with you so we could help each other through it but I know now it would be unfair to wait to tell you._

 _I love you, Trip, I pray every day that you will return to us safely. Take care._

 _Yours always,_

 _Natalie_


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N Many thanks to Mojo01 for the review. Reviews are the life blood of fan fiction writers. I still am just borrowing these characters.**

Vardon looked down at Tabrina as she slept. The bottom of the nighty she was wearing had slid up so that her entire thighs were exposed. She really was a beautiful woman. But there was not time to think of that now. He reached over and shook her shoulder.

She woke up disoriented only for a moment, "What the Hell, Vardon, what are you doing here?"

He noticed she made no effort to cover up or showed any fear, but just glared angrily at him. She really was a special woman.

"I didn't want to take the chance of someone seeing me knocking on your door, so I had Raff find a way in. Now, get dressed, we have work to do."

Tabrina pulled herself together. The man standing before her was not the man she had recently visited. He appeared to be the old Vardon, immaculately dressed and fully confident. She got out of bed, "What's this all about?"

"Why don't you just get dressed and I'll tell you everything. I would suggest wearing something durable."

"Alright, get out of here and I'll be out in a few minutes."

"As Vandor went back into the living room, Raff turned from the window. Vardon asked, "See anything?"

"No, it is quiet out there. Is she coming with us?"

"Yeah, she's getting dressed."

Raff nodded and looked back out the window.

Tabrina made good on her word and it was only about ten minutes later that she emerged, wearing Jeans and a leather jacket.

Vardon spoke up, "Okay, let's get out of here, we have a shuttle waiting."

They quickly exited and following Raff through the streets, arrived at the shuttle. As soon as they were seated, Vardon ordered the pilot, another of Solon's men, to take off.

When they were in the air, Tabrina turned to Vardon, "Isn't it about time you told me what is going on?"

"After you and Solon left, I took a long look at myself. I wasn't pleased at what I saw. For the first time in quite a while, I considered my possibilities. You were right, we cannot make peace with the Alliance. At this time we may not have the resources to occupy their planets, but their fleet needs to be destroyed."

"I called Solon back in and we devised a plan to regain the power I had squandered away."

"There isn't time to discuss all that is happening, but you and I are going to meet with Ruddick."

Tabrina asked, "Why am I involved?"

"As I told you, I am not sure where Ruddick stands. As the widow of a man he greatly admired and one who can speak so strongly to the need for vengeance, I hope you can help persuade him to stay loyal to me."

After they docked with the _Vercory_ , Tabrina and Vardon left the others on the shuttle. When they passed through the airlock, they were greeted by Ruddick and two soldiers with disruptors.

Ruddick spoke first, "Welcome aboard, Praetor. Then he bowed slightly, "And you, Tabrina."

When she nodded, he went on, "Please accept my condolences. I admired your husband greatly; his death was a great loss to the Empire."

"Thank you, Tribune, my husband admired you as well."

As Ruddick led them down the hall, Vandor smirked, "Why all the firepower? We are all on the same side."

Ruddick smiled, "Frankly, Praetor, that remains to be seen."

They continued walking until they reached a conference room. After a moment hesitation, Ruddick told the soldiers to stay outside.

When they were seated, Ruddick began, "What is going on? I had not heard from you for some time. You have not returned my messages. Then Bardon and Seltar arrive with their fleets. I find out they are reporting to the Senate. You have left me in a difficult position. I am not sure I should be associated with you. There are talks of peace and a new Praetor. I do not intend to let others decide my path."

Vandor looked directly at him, "I deserve all that you have to say. I lost my way for a time. But that has changed, I intend to regain my position. There must not be peace with the Alliance."

Tabrina saw an opportunity to step in, "Tribune, please listen to the Praetor, we cannot allow my husband to die for nothing. He gave his life and those of his men to inflict heavy damage on the Alliance. We can let that effort be wasted. We must avenge their deaths."

Ruddick, who had shown any emotion at what Vandor said, was obviously affected by Tabrina's words.

He sighed, "I do agree with what you are saying, but I am afraid the Senate and their fleets will not allow that. I have no stomach for engaging in a civil war. The result would be disastrous for the Empire."

Vardon spoke again, "What if that was not necessary? What if we could accomplish our ends without you needing to take on those fleets? Would you then maintain your allegiance to me? Would you protect my position as Praetor?"

"I do not see how that would be possible; but yes, I would then support you. You are still Praetor."

Vandor leaned forward, "As we talk, Solon and his followers are seeing to it that those Senators who have proven traitorous to the Empire will receive their just reward."

Ruddick and Tabrina both stared in amazement, Ruddick finally said incredulously, "You would dare that?" He hesitated and then continued, "But I understood they are heavily guarded."

"You grossly underestimate Solon. Believe me, all twenty of the ringleaders are or will soon be dead."

He then continued, "As for the fleets, the loss of their protectors in the Senate will make them think twice before taking you on. I will give them an opportunity to rescind their support of the Senate and reaffirm their allegiance to me and the Empire. If they do so, they will not be punished."

He smiled, "Just in case they still have any doubts, Tribune Gregor and his fleet of one hundred ships will enter Romulan air space within the next ten hours. Ironically, the Senate contacted him in the hopes he would join them. Fortunately, he remains loyal to his Praetor. I do not think Bardon and Seltar will have any stomach to take both you and Gregor on."

Tabrina and Ruddick exchanged glances, both thinking the same. This was the Vandor they knew, utterly ruthless and never afraid to take a gamble. It showed it never paid to underestimate his cruelty and courage.

It all turned out just as Vandor predicted. It left the Senate completely cowed and it would be some time before they completely regained their power.

But then to Tabrina's distress, Vandor sent the three fleets back to their stations. She had hoped they would be used to attack the Alliance.

Vandor explained they were desperately needed to try to hold the Status Quo as much as possible. He also assured her he had not forgotten the need for vengeance.

Archer and T'Pol were having a late supper when the wall communicator buzzed. Archer reached over and pushed the button, "Archer here."

"This is Commander Reed. Admiral, we need you on E deck. A crewman has been found dead."

They quickly hurried to E deck, finding Reed and a MACO standing outside an open door.

They looked inside and saw Crewman Margaret Hadley lying in a pool of blood. Her wrists had been slashed and a knife lay next to her hand.

Archer quickly asked, "Report, Commander."

"When we arrived, I found Ensign Andrews standing in the doorway. She was pretty shook up. I knocked on the door of the quarters next door and put her in there with Crewman Davies. I didn't ask her anything, was waiting for you. Then the Sergeant and I checked out the area. The quarters are clear."

"Understood." He addressed the MACO, "Sergeant, you stay here."

"Yes, Sir."

Archer, Reed, and T'Pol went and looked at the body. Reed spoke up, "I don't think she's been dead long, but Phlox should be able to give us a definite time."

Archer reached over and pushed a communicator, "Doctor Phlox, this is Admiral Archer, report to Crewman Hadley's quarters on E deck."

He turned to the others, "I think it's time to talk to the Ensign."

Archer knocked on the nearby door. When told to enter, he, Malcom, and T'Pol entered to find Davies and Andrew on the bed. Davies had her arm around Andrew's shoulder who was obviously still distraught.

When they saw Archer, they started to rise, but he signaled them to stay seated. "Ensign, do you feel up to answering a few questions?"

She looked up, "Yes, Sir."

"Crewman, could you leave us for a time."

"Of course, Sir." She got up and putting her hand on Andrew's shoulder for a moment, went by them out the door.

"Why don't you just tell us what happened?"

Wringing her hands, she spoke in a quiet voice, "There's not much to tell. A few of us girls were going to have a small party. When I left for the party, I decided to see if Maggie had left yet. One of the girls had said that she had been acting strange today and I wanted to be sure she was all right. I rang the chime and knocked on the door but she didn't answer. I was still worried. Because we often are in and out of each other's quarters, I knew her code. I entered it and had gone a few steps in when I saw her. I freaked out and used the communicator to call Security. I didn't even check to see if she was dead, I was just stunned."

"Where was this party located?"

"In Hope…I mean Crewman Howland's quarters."

Reed spoke up, "If you don't mind, Admiral, I will head down there and see what I can find out."

"Alright, Malcolm." Archer turned back to Andrews, "Is there any chance someone could have got past you before the Commander arrived."

"No sir, I was upset but anyone would have had to push past me."

"Do you have anything to add, Ensign?"

"No, Sir."

T'Pol spoke up for the first time, "Ensign, did you say the crewman Hadley had been acting strangely?"

"Some of her coworkers said she seemed to be thinking about something all day, but there wasn't anything specific they could point to."

T'Pol continued, "Did you notice anything else recently that would make you think she would take her own life?"

Andrews looked surprised, "No, Captain. Nothing like that."

Archer spoke up, "Okay. I think that's enough for now. Why don't you go back to your quarters and get some rest?"

"Thank you, Admiral, but I think if you don't mind, I would like some company."

"Of course not."

She got up and left. The others exited and told Davies she could have her quarters back.

They looked into the dead woman's apartment and saw Phlox kneeling by the body. He looked up when they came in.

"She's been dead for at least an hour. I would put the time of death at 2020 with maybe a range of fifteen minutes either way."

"Thanks, Doc." He looked at the body, "Is there any sign that the obvious isn't the cause of death?"

"No, Admiral, but I won't know for sure until I perform an autopsy."

Archer nodded. He turned to the Sergeant, "Sergeant, do you have all you need? Can Phlox have the body?"

"Just a few more minutes, Admiral, Commander Reed informed me he has a MACO bringing a camera."

"Alright." He turned to Phlox, "I guess we'll let you know."

"Very well, Admiral."

After tossing and turning all night, Archer asked T'Pol and Malcolm to meet him in his Ready Room.

When they entered, he looked up at them. "I want you two to take charge of the investigation. You have my complete authority to follow it where ever it may go. I know it appears to be a suicide but I need to know that for a certainty. Take all the time you need, but make it your number one priority."

They answered together, "Understood, Admiral."

Three days later, Archer was informed that by T'Pol that she and Reed had completed their investigation and were ready to make their report. He told them to meet him in his ready room in an hour.

He was waiting for their arrival when Phlox knocked and entered. "Admiral, I have some information that I believe is vital to the investigation of the Crewman's death. Every since I saw her, something has been bothering me. I finally realized what it was."

"Go ahead, Doctor..."

T'Pol and Reed were naturally right on time. When they had entered and were seated, T'Pol spoke first.

"Before we give you our decision, I would like to go over the evidence and how we proceeded."

"The following facts seem to be irrefutable. Phlox set the time of death at approximately 2020, but he also stated that it could not have been later than 2040."

"The call from Ensign Andrews came at 2105. Both Commander Reed and Sergeant Woodson noted the time. The communication logs also verify that fact."

"Five individuals, including Lieutenants Sato and Merriweather saw Crewman Hadley enter her room alone at approximately 1900."

"As you know, Admiral, every time anyone opens a door, the ship computer reports it to a log. Unfortunately, it is obviously not able to determine if the door was opened from the outside or the inside."

"The logs show the Crewman's door opening at 1902 and at 2103. There is no record of it opening between those times."

"The records also show that the door was opened at the following times the day of the murder and the previous day."

"The day before it was opened at 0745 and 2010, presumably her leaving for work and returning in the evening. The day of the murder it was opened at 0730 and the aforementioned 1902."

"It logically follows that if she was murdered, the murderer had to be waiting in the room when she entered alone at 1902."

"The most likely suspect is of course Ensign Andrews. She could have killed Crewman Hadley, waited for a while, then opened the door from the inside and called Security."

"The problem is that she was seen by a large number of crewman both the day before the murder and the day of the murder. There is no doubt she was not in the room."

"In fact, Captain, we interviewed every crewman. In cross checking their stories we accounted for every crewman. Thus, none of them could have been in Hadley's quarters during the time they would need to be."

"Then, to try to cover all possibilities, we checked with all ships in the fleet to see if one of their transporters could have been used. None had been used."

"We also checked all shuttles to see if someone could have snuck aboard, but all were fully accounted for. None had left their ships."

"So, Admiral, unless someone gained access from a ship we do not know about or we encountered a time traveler, we can only decide that Crewman Hadley committed suicide."

"That decision is further strengthened by the fact we could find no one who had any kind of motive. Add that to the fact she seemed preoccupied during the day, the decision seems ever more solid."

Archer looked proudly at her, "Thank you, Captain." He turned to Commander Reed, "Do you concur, Commander, do you have anything to add?"

"I concur completely, Admiral, I also wish to add that the Captain thoroughly tested both the computer and the teleporters to be sure they had not been tampered with."

"I commend both of you on an outstanding job. It is very impressive and comprehensive."

Both answered, "Thank you, Sir."

Then he smiled sadly, "However, we have a problem."

"Sir?"

"Just before you arrived, Phlox told me some information that strongly suggested that it could not be suicide."

When they recovered, Malcolm and T'Pol inquired about the information. They had to agree it did make a strong suggestion that she did not commit suicide. But after some more discussion which included going over the evidence again, they decided that however suggestive, Phlox's information was still just that, a suggestion; that the evidence was overwhelming.

That decision was sent to Starfleet, who, after a careful review came to the same conclusion.

Although they felt confident in their investigation, both T'Pol and Malcolm were still as humans would say, bugged about the fact that Phlox had put forward, but saw nothing more to be done.

About two months after the tragedy, Malcolm and Trip decided what they needed was a good old-fashioned night of drinking, to forget all that had been happening, to forget about the war.

They were well on their way when Trip brought up what had happened to them on Risa. Suddenly, Malcom stiffened. After thinking for a few moments, he got wobbly to his feet, and headed for the door.

Trip called after him, "Hey, where are you going? We still got some drinking to do."

Malcolm called back, "I have to see Captain T'Pol."

Trip smirked, "The Admiral's not going to like it."

The next night, Malcolm, Archer, and T'Pol armed with Phasers accompanied by a MACO with a Phase Rifle burst into Ensign Andrew's quarters, finding her sitting on her bed, reading a PADD.

As everyone aimed their guns at her, Archer spoke, "Don't make any attempt to convert to another creature, the Phasers are set to kill."

Andrews, who had been stunned by the break in, looked bewildered, "Convert? What the Hell are you talking about? What right do you have to break in like this?"

Telling the MACO to keep his Phaser trained on her, Archer turned to T'Pol, "Why don't you explain, Captain."

"This afternoon, I entered your quarters and obtained some hair samples. When Doctor Phlox tested them, it was found that they were not human DNA. A search of the Fleet database found that the DNA belonged to a species called a Chameloid, a species known for the ability to assume the form of any species it encountered."

The Ensign smirked, "I don't suppose I can say those aren't my hairs."

Archer said, "No."

She then said, "Since it appears to be over, could I be allowed to revert to my normal self. It takes effort to maintain other species for a long period of time."

"Alright, but be very careful, don't try to become something dangerous. The Major still has his Phaser trained on you."

Then, before their amazed eyes, Ensign Andrews became a feathered attractive tall woman.

"Well, you have found my secret. I suppose I will not be able to continue in Starfleet."

Archer looked incredulously at her, "No, you will be paying for your crime."

"What crime is that?"

T'Pol broke in, "The murder of Crewman Hadley."

"That was ruled a suicide, you yourself conducted the investigation."

She continued, "We now know how it was accomplished, must we go over it?"

"This should be good."

"The night before the murder, you and Crewman Hadley entered her quarters. You then somehow incapacitated her so she would be unconscious for the next day."

"The next morning, you left the quarters as Crewman Hadley. Then during the day, you changed back and forth being sure that you were seen as both individuals by a large portion of the crew. You were most likely not fully acquainted with her job so acted preoccupied and distant. This also would help your case for suicide."

That night, you made sure that several witnesses saw you enter her cabin alone as Crewman Hadley. Then, you just needed to kill her and wait some time before opening the door from the inside as Ensign Andrews and call for help."

Smiling at T'Pol, "That is quite a tale. Unfortunately, there is nothing to prove it."

"Normally, that might be true, but many defendants have been found guilty on less evidence. Of course there is one more fact, a piece of information that flew in the face of the evidence. A fact that makes it almost impossible that Crewman Hadley committed suicide as she seemed to."

"What fact would that be?"

"Crewman Hadley had Aichmophobia, a fear of sharp objects. In her case especially knives. As Doctor Phlox pointed out, that someone with that malady would use them to hurt herself is almost inconceivable."

She ruefully shook her head. "Just my luck."

Archer spoke up, "What is your name?"

"I am called Martia."

"Why did you do it, Martia?"

"I guess it doesn't matter now. She caught me changing. As I said, it is difficult to hold another shape over a long period of time. I was careless and she came into my room without knocking and caught me."

"The rest is pretty much what you outlined. I assumed a Warmockian Spider and stung her. That enabled me to control her until I got her in the room. Then I spun a web so she couldn't move. The rest you know."

Then Archer had a thought, "How about the real Ensign Andrews? Did you kill her as well? Why did you want to get aboard _Enterprise_?"

"The ship didn't matter; I was just looking for a way to get off Earth. I was afraid they were getting close. She was a person who had no close friends or family."

"Who was getting close?"

"They are called the Naiyd. They are from my home planet. Their job is to hunt down those that commit crimes. If they catch you, you are returned for torture and death."

"What happened to Andrews?"

"I killed her." She looked at Archer, "Then I became a Gordion Bear and ate her, bones and all."

Suddenly, it was all too much for the humans, they needed to get some fresh air. They took Martia to the brig and put a twenty-four watch on her.

When they contacted Starfleet, they contacted the creature's home planet. They found that not only they wanted her, she had committed murders of dozens of species, all who wanted her hide.

Earth found itself in a moral dilemma. The death penalty had been outlawed and it was against Earth policy to turn someone over to be executed. At the same time, keeping her incarcerated for life would be a nightmare, requiring constant supervision. Added to that was the fact they had long life spans.

A solution came from an unlikely source. Apparently, a Klingon had been among her victims. They suggested she be imprisoned on Rura Penthe for life. No matter how many shapes she could assume, there would be no escape. Besides, such a creature could have value on a mining planet.

Starfleet finally got everyone to agree, although no one was really satisfied.

It would be some time before Martia would encounter another human. Ironically, it would again be a Captain from _Enterprise._


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N I want to sincerely thank Mojo01 for the review. They mean a lot to me.**

Vardon strode down the halls of the Palace heading for his office, Raff at his side. Although he had seemingly recovered total control, Solon had insisted that one of his men should accompany Vardon at all times because he still had many enemies. The rebellions continued and as soon as they put one down, it seemed another started. All the news was not bad though. A Bovarian Fleet Commander had gotten either careless or over confident and had suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of Tribune Gregor. All forty ships had been destroyed and the Empire had regained control of an entire sector.

But Vardon's mind was focused in an entirely different direction. Since he had told Tabrina that he had not forgotten the need for vengeance, he had been working to make that a reality. Even before he recovered from his malaise, as soon as he heard word that Venter had failed, he knew there was really only one fleet powerful enough to be sure of victory, one fleet that could be spared.

Vandor reached his office and went inside leaving Raff with his fellow soldiers on guard. He was greeted by Tabrina, Solon, and Ruddick who all rose as he entered. These three had become his inner circle, the ones in which he put the most trust.

"Good morning. Go ahead, sit down, we have a lot to discuss."

As they found their seats, he continued, "I am sure you have all heard of Gregor's victory?"

They all nodded and Tabrina spoke up, "It appears you were correct to send Gregor back to his post instead of using him to attack the Allied Fleet. I assure you I will trust your judgement more in the future."

Vandor smiled, "Oh, come on Tabrina, cut the crap! You know his victory was a complete surprise." But then he smirked, "But don't tell anyone else that."

Once again Vandor was struck by Tabrina's beauty. She wore a dress that was made more to entice than cover. He had no doubt she knew the affect it would have on him. The pressures of the position and reality of the forces he confronted had greatly curtailed Vandor's sexual endeavors. Besides, she was much too valuable as an ally to endanger that relationship. But he could not help pondering…

Suddenly he realized that Solon had been speaking, "Praetor, why exactly did you call this meeting?"

Vandor realized he had been lost in thought. He saw the slight smile on her face to let him know she knew the reason for his lack of concentration.

Sitting back, he immediately got their full attention when he said, "We need to discuss the plan for the ending of the war with the Alliance, the destruction of the Alliance Fleet."

Even Solon could not completely not hide his surprise. He knew that Vandor had stated that there could be no negotiations with the Alliance, that the Alliance needed to be defeated; but he had no idea Vandor was even close to be ready to attempt such a mission.

Tabrina was shocked but then felt a great sense of satisfaction. Her husband would be avenged.

Although Ruddick was also surprised, he quickly tried to imagine where Vandor could get the forces he needed. He had already sent those other fleets back to the front. The only fleet that could even be considered ready for an immediate mission was his. As much as he would desire that chance, he knew the Praetor would never risk sending him. His enemies would not miss such an opportunity. By the time his fleet would finish their mission, a new Praetor would be entrenched. It was not a well-kept secret that Ruddick had eyes on the position himself, but he knew he did not have the stomach for fighting another Romulan fleet after a battle against the Alliance. No. Ruddick wanted to be Praetor, but he would only accept it if it was done by legal means. Only such a Praetor would have hope of being sure of the support of the entire Empire. He knew that Vandor's method of obtaining the position had not been fully accepted in some parts of the Empire. He felt it contributed to the unwillingness of many fleets to take the steps needed, to obey orders without question.

Vandor had continued, "This time there must be no mistake. We need to send an overwhelming force, one that is assured of success. I think we know there is only one fleet that is available, whose use will not weaken the ongoing fight against the rebellions."

He looked at Ruddick, "That fleet is the one commanded by you, Tribune."

Ruddick and the others were stunned. Ruddick quickly recovered, "It would be our honor, Praetor. But are you sure of this? You would have no defense against your enemies. I need you to know that I will make no pledge to avenge you. I have already decided I will not overthrow a Praetor if it means fighting Romulan ships. If you have been killed and a new Praetor is named, I will support him, my victory will be his."

Tabrina also spoke up, "Vandor, you know how deeply I want my husband avenged. But I am driven to say I do not wish it to be accomplished by you sacrificing your life. The chaos arising around the battle for a new Praetor would undo all we hoped to gain with a victory. Now, more than ever, we need your daring and courage in command."

Solon sat quietly. He was as shocked as the others but knew there had to be more. More than anyone, Vandor knew the dangers in the plan he had proposed.

Vandor smiled, "All of what you say is true. But I do not plan to be here to be overthrown while you are gone, I am going to command the Fleet myself. I plan to be there when Archer and his fleet are destroyed."

Ruddick spoke up, "You may not be killed, but what will stop them from naming a new Praetor? Who do you plan to leave in charge?"

"I will leave the Empire in good hands. You, Solon, and you, Tabrina, will rule during my absence."

Seeing the look of amazement on Tabrina's face, Solon spoke, "I for one am honored, but I am still not sure what will stop your enemies from seizing the throne."

Vandor leaned forward, "Do you think that anyone will kill the First Citizen and the wife of one of Romulus's greatest heroes and take the throne while the current Praetor is still alive? Especially when that Praetor will return with a Fleet that has just won the war?"

Tabrina finally found her voice, "I am proud to have such faith placed in me. But I do have a suggestion. Might my claim to the position be stronger if I was the wife of the current Praetor?"

The men all looked astounded at her. Vandor was the first to recover. "An intriguing idea, and one that I would normally be receptive to, but I believe you are more inclined to receive respect as Venter's widow." Then, he couldn't resist, he smiled broadly, "I cannot believe I just said that. That I gave up a chance to be your husband."

Tabrina smiled back, "Nor can I. But I do believe you are right."

Ruddick spoke up, "I understand your logic, but there is also the fact that Romulus will be unprotected. I do not believe the Bovarians are still a threat to attack but would still feel more confident if at least there was some forces to defend the city and the throne."

Vandor nodded, "I had been thinking the same. With his latest victory, Gregor has gained us some time in that sector. I shall ask him to return to protect Romulus."

Ruddick went on, "When do you plan to embark on this mission?"

"If you agree, in three months. We have already delayed far too long."

"We will be ready. I assume you will take command of the _Vercory_?"

"No, I think it would be better if my location were kept secret. Besides, you will still be the battle commander for the fleet. You have far more experience than me."

Inwardly, Ruddick sighed in relief. He had not been comfortable with Vandor commanding the actual battle.

Sensing that everything had been discussed, they were getting ready to leave, when Vandor said something almost to himself. "This is our destiny, you know."

Solon looked inquisitively at him. "You mean for us four to lead Romulus to victory?"

Vandor looked up, "No, I mean for Archer and I to meet in battle. I should have realized it sooner."

He smiled and went on, "We are related."

They all stared at him, Tabrina found her voice first, "Related?"

"Yes, we have a common ancestor."

Solon, still not sure what he was hearing, "What makes you believe that?"

"For reasons of their own, the Klingons provided us with an example of Archer's DNA they had obtained when he was their prisoner for a time. One of my underlings who had too much time on his hands had noticed that both of us had an eye color that was similar. On a whim, he checked it out and found to his utter amazement we are related."

Tabrina looking stunned, "How could that possibly be?"

"The only possible explanation I could reach was based on ancient records of when we first came to Romulus. One of the two ships carrying our tribe was a year late in arriving. An ancestor of mine named T'Vir had borne a son on the way. The records show her first grandson had eye color similar to mine."

Solon now joined in, "The same T'Vir who was the force behind the creation of the Empire?"

Vandor now smiled more broadly, "Yes. That knowledge led me to do some research on the history of Earth. It may interest you to know that Earth once had a similar empire about that same time. The mythical founders of that Empire were two brothers Romulus and Remus."

The others could do nothing but look on in astonishment.

Vandor smiled ruefully, "Now, all that is left is to see is which of our destinies is to be victorious."

T'Pol sat in the Captain's seat. The Admiral had gone to a meeting of the four senior members of the War Council. They were working a status report on the War requisitioned by the War Committee. Things had been quiet since the Terran Army mission. All of their sources agreed that there appeared to be no immediate plans for the Romulans to attack. It appeared they were still consumed by internal struggles.

Ensign Hansen, serving at T'Pol's usual post, turned toward her, "We are picking up five ships heading our way. She checked back to her screens. "From their configuration, the Computer database identifies them as Bovarian."

T'Pol wondered what the Bovarians were doing this far from Romulus. She instructed Hoshi to tell all ships to arm weapons but hold their fire. She then told Hoshi to contact the War Council.

By the time the ships dropped out of warp, the War Council had called short their meeting and Shran had joined Archer on the bridge.

Hoshi informed them, "We are being hailed."

Archer told her, "Put it on the screen."

Although everyone knew the Bovarians were reptiles, and they looked nothing like the Xindi, Hoshi could not prevent a small shiver when she saw them.

When the figure spoke, they realized he was speaking Romulan and the translator was able to understand. "I am Captain Sseld of the Bovarian Royal Battle Fleet. I wish to speak to Admiral Archer."

Archer who couldn't help but take note of the being's forked tongue, answered, "I am Admiral Archer."

"It is an honor, Admiral. I bring a message for you from his majesty King Ssoud to be delivered personally to you. May I come aboard?"

Archer was surprised but managed to hide it. "Certainly, I will meet you at the docking port."

Archer turned to Shran, "I wonder what this is all about." Shran just shrugged. Archer went on, "Alright, Hoshi, T'Pol, you're with me. Malcolm, you have the Com." He turned to Shran, "Do you want to join us?"

"Yes, I believe I will."

Just then Malcolm spoke up. "Sir, I recommend you take a couple of armed MACO's with you."

"All right Malcolm, but have them look like an honor guard, not bodyguards."

"Very well, Sir."

As they headed toward the airlock, Archer spoke to Hoshi, "I wanted you to come along to see if it could be possible to get the translators to be able to speak to them in their native tongue."

"Since I can tell them which words to say in their language, it should be possible, Sir."

"Good."

Two MACOs were waiting when they reached the airlock. They stood at attention with the rifles in salute position. It wasn't long before a shuttle from the Bovarian ship docked and Captain Sseld and another Bovarian came through the airlock.

Archer stepped forward, "Welcome aboard _Enterprise_. This is General Shran of the Andorian Imperial Guard, this is my second in command, Captain T'Pol, and my communications officer, Lieutenant Hoshi Sato."

Sseld gave a slight smile at the two MACO's and the answered, "Thank you, Admiral, this is Commander Ssern, my second in command."

Archer went on, "If you follow me, we will head for the Captain's Mess."

As they headed down the halls, Captain Sseld took everything in. "An impressive ship, Admiral. I understand it is capable of Warp 7?"

Archer hesitated a second and then said, "That's correct."

"I must admit I know little about Bovaria. I understand it is on the opposite side of the Empire."

"That is correct, Admiral."

They reached their destination and after Archer had the guards remain outside, they all took a seat.

Archer spoke up, "Before we begin, I had Lieutenant Sato join us in the hope we could set up the translators so you could speak in your native language. If it is all right with you, I would ask you to work with her for a short time."

Sseld showed his surprise, "I would be happy to accommodate the Lieutenant."

Hoshi told them the words to say in their language. In a remarkably short time, they were able to converse at a satisfactory level, only occasionally having to fall back on Romulan.

Captain Sseld began, "As I said Admiral, I have a message from his excellency, the King of Bovaria."

He hesitated and took a small breath. "He wishes me to explore the possibilities of the Royal Planet of Bovaria joining The Alliance. In return for aiding you in your fight, you would also agree to aid us in preserving our freedom from the Empire. That is, if either achieves their goals, they would promise to fight until the other sides goals are also met."

Archer was stunned. He knew the Bovarians were said to have over three hundred ships. If they would combine with the Alliance, it would greatly enhance their possibility of victory. But then he sadly realized that they could never promise the Bovarians what they wanted. They would have no way to project enough power to the other side of the Empire.

He finally managed to say, "I am honored to receive such a message. I admit I am not sure how to proceed. Such a decision would have to be made by the War Committee; a council made up of the leaders of the Alliance." He hesitated and then went on, "But, frankly, I cannot see a scenario where we could in good faith agree to such an alliance. We simply do not have the resources to project our power to enable us to stop the Romulans from attacking Bovaria. I am afraid our only help is what we are hopefully currently doing, stretching the resources of the Empire."

Captain Sseld felt his slim hopes disappear. When he had seen the status of the Allied fleet, he knew his task was hopeless, but he felt bound to carry out his mission.

Shran spoke up, "For what it is worth, I must agree with Admiral Archer; for us to give you any idea we could live up to our part of the bargain would be a lie."

Archer went on, "But if you do wish us to present it to the War Committee, we will do so. It is possible that may see it differently."

Sseld shook his head, "No, Admiral, we knew it was a long shot at best. I will convey your message to the King. He will be disappointed but I believe he will understand."

"He got up and the others rose with him. "I need to return to the fleet. Thank you for hearing me out."

"I am just sorry we couldn't help and you took such a long journey for nothing. We can only hope we can both find a way to prevail."

Sseld nodded and said, "I would not say it was for nothing, it was something we had to try." It was a quiet walk back to the airlock. When they reached their destination, Sseld turned to Archer, "It was an honor to meet you, Admiral, and you, General Shran."

"Goodbye, Captain, and Good luck."

When Sseld reported back to his Commander, his reaction was much the same as Sseld's. It had been a long shot, but something they needed to try. He said he would report back to the King. Then he had the unpleasant job of telling Sseld of the destruction of the Twelfth Fleet. There were also rumors of another attack on the Alliance. While the Bovarians were still holding their own, there was no doubt there was a long lonely battle ahead of them.

Captain John Stewart was glad he had decided to walk the last few blocks to his destination instead of taking a Shuttle all the way. He realized though he had been a little over confident to carry the board from the _Mercy McBride_ in his right hand. Although after six months his prosthetic arm had become natural to him, he was feeling a strain in his shoulder. He switched it to his left arm three blocks from his destination. When he had called Jane McBride and told her he wondered if he could stop by, she had seemed excited by the idea. He just hoped he wouldn't bring back bad memories.

Arriving, he knocked on the door. When she opened it and greeted him with a big smile, he decided her picture had not done justice to her. She was a very pretty woman.

"Mrs. McBride, I am Captain John Stewart, I called you on the phone."

"Of course, Captain, I have been looking forward to your visit. Come in. But please, call me Jane."

"Thank you, Mrs.… Jane." He went in and was surprised to see the state of the room. There were PADDS and papers everywhere.

"I'm sorry, I must apologize for the mess. I run the Foundation out of my home. Here, we can sit on the couch, it's about the only clear spot in the room."

"The Foundation?"

"Yes, the Mercy McBride Foundation. I set it up to find a cure for Torrin Syndrome. I have spent my time getting some of the best minds in the world to work on it and have set up a group of people to handle fund raising, but now realize I should have acquired a much larger staff to handle the day to day operations. I am really getting overwhelmed."

She then said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you with my problems."

"That's fine, Ma'am, It sounds like a major undertaking."

"Jane, remember" She hesitated, "May I call you John?"

He smiled, "I would like that." Jane decided he had a nice smile. She hadn't quite been prepared for such a handsome man. She smirked to herself. Cool off, Jane, what would a man like him want with a plain old widowed woman like you. He is only here because of Mercy.

She continued, "May I get you anything?"

"No, I am fine."

He then picked up the board he had set on the floor. "When I talked to Admiral Archer about whether he would give this to you, he suggested I bring it to you myself."

He removed the paper and handed it to her. She saw the words Mercy McBride on it and already felt herself tearing up.

"It was on the Bridge of the ship. I tore it off when I was wounded."

She looked at him, "It's wonderful. I don't know how to thank you for bringing it all this way."

She went on, "Was it that wound the reason they sent you home?"

He held up his right arm, "They felt I needed a new arm. I told them I could have stayed in command with only one."

She looked at him amazed, if he hadn't told her, she doubted she would have realized it was not his real arm. Sensing what she was thinking, "They really do an amazing job. But it took some time for me to get used to it."

She decided she didn't want him to leave, "If you have any time, could you tell me about your ship? I was so surprised and proud when Admiral Gardner told me he was going to name a Starship after Mercy. To be honest, I was afraid whoever served on it would be a little embarrassed about being on a ship named after a young girl."

John was thrilled she seemed to want him to stay. He just felt comfortable being with her. "I'd be glad to. But believe me, when we heard her story, we were very proud to serve on a ship with her name. I just hope we lived up it."

He sat back and told her everything he could about the ship and its crew. He didn't mention the action that had caused him to be wounded because such details of the battle were still secret.

When he finally finished, he realized he still didn't want to leave her just yet. Taking a chance, he asked her, "Would you like to go somewhere and maybe have dinner with me? You can tell me about Mercy and the Foundation."

Jane was stunned and tried not to be too eager in her answer, "I'd love to. Just let me freshen up a little."

When she was ready, she said there was a restaurant nearby and they left, walking side by side.


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N My sincere thanks to EroSlackerMicha for the review. These characters still belong to Paramount**.

Archer and T'Pol were having breakfast in the Captain's Mess when they heard loud voices and what seemed to be some kind of scuffle in the Mess Hall. When they opened the door, they were stunned to see an obviously inebriated Trip Tucker bouncing from table to table as crew members did their best to stop him from hurting himself by passing him from one table to the next. All the time he was waving a PADD around and mumbling, "I never should have left, it's my fault."

They quickly crossed over to him and with each taking an arm were able to get him into the Captain's Mess. They put him a chair but he kept flailing around. Finally, afraid he would strike one of them or hurt himself, T'Pol reluctantly gave him a neck pinch.

Getting him settled in a chair, Archer called for the orderly to bring coffee and contacted Phlox to join them.

Archer took the PADD from him and saw it was open to a letter from Natalie. Resisting the temptation to read it, he laid it face down on the table.

The orderly brought the coffee and soon after that the door chimed.

Archer opened it and let Phlox in.

"You called for me, Admiral?"

"Yeah, Phlox." He motioned to the unconscious Commander. "Trip was careening around the Mess Hall waving this PADD and saying something about it being his fault. We got him in here but he was still out of control. T'Pol finally had to put him out."

Phlox passed his scanner over Tucker. "He has an extraordinary amount of alcohol in his system. I am surprised he had not passed out on his own."

"I can inject a simulant which should work faster than plying him with coffee."

"Alright, do what you can."

Phlox pressed the Hypospray against his neck. He turned to T'Pol, "How long will he be out?"

"I would estimate about a half hour."

Phlox nodded, "Between that and the stimulants, I would expect him to be much more lucid when he awakens. I am afraid though he will have a major hangover. Tell him to come to Sickbay."

Archer smiled, "Okay, Doc, thanks."

"No problem, Admiral, hope the Commander will feel better."

After the Doctor left, Archer looked down at the PADD on the table. "I noticed that this PADD is open to a letter from Natalie. I am pretty sure that whatever it says has a lot to do with his getting drunk."

"That would be a reasonable assumption."

"I am tempted to read it to see if there is anything we can do to help, but I am afraid that he would consider that an invasion of his privacy."

"I agree, Admiral, it appears we will have to wait until the Commander awakens. Perhaps he will tell us himself."

"Well, we might as well go ahead and finish our breakfast."

Trip woke up completely disoriented, wondering where the Hell he was. Then he saw Archer and T'Pol looking at him, "What's going on, Admiral?"

"We were hoping you could tell us. You came into the Mess Hall drunk as hell, bumping into tables. We brought you into the Captain's Mess and when you still wouldn't settle down, T'Pol was forced to put you out."

Trip looked at her, "Well, that explains my sore shoulder." Then he noticed the PADD in front of him and it all came back to him.

He looked up apprehensively, "Did I say anything?"

"Something about it being your fault."

Trip picked up the PADD and closed the page. "Did you look at this?"

"I noticed it was a letter from Natalie, but I put it down before I could see what it said."

Trip nodded.

T'Pol joined in, "How do you feel, Trip, Phlox said to contact him if you feel the need for further treatment."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." He hesitated, I guess I better get cleaned up and get to work."

Archer put his hand on his shoulder, "Is there anything we can do, Trip? We are here for you if you need to talk about something."

Trip looked up and smiled, "I appreciate that, but I don't think I am ready to talk about it yet."

"Okay, Trip, but don't feel you have to go it alone. If you don't want to talk to us, perhaps Phlox…?

Trip got to his feet, "Thanks again, Jon, but I need to do some thinking."

Jane McBride slipped out of bed and put on a robe, being careful not to wake John. She looked down at him and again marveled how he had so quickly become a part of her life. It was almost impossible to believe it had only been a month since he came to her door.

She had given up on ever falling in love with anyone again. She had to shake her head, thinking how strange life was. If Mercy had not died, she would have likely never met John or had such an emotional tie to him. It didn't mean it lessened her sadness over Mercy, but maybe in a way it gave some meaning to her death.

She moved into the kitchen and began to make breakfast. Suddenly, John was behind her and she noticed he had not bothered to put anything on. When he put his arms around her and slid his hands under her robe as he kissed her neck, she realized breakfast would have to wait.

Malcolm Reed stared at the PADD lying on a table in his quarters. He was sure it had not been intended for him to get all four letters at one time. He slowly reread the first. He had been stunned when his sister had told him she was romantically involved with Penelope's brother Edward. He couldn't imagine the two of them together. He couldn't think of two much different personalities. Now Madeline had sent him an invitation to their wedding. He wished he could go, if only to see them together for himself.

The second letter was also from his sister, but far different in its subject matter.

Their mother had died. She told him she had died peacefully in her sleep. She told him that his mother had almost seemed to welcome it. She had come to miss their father more and more, talking about joining him. Madeline also told him how wonderful Jeremy had been through all of this, how good he had been to her.

The next letter was from Jeremy. He gave his condolences to Malcolm for his mother dying, then informed him he was taking deed to the house as they had agreed. But he told Malcolm if he had changed his mind about keeping the land, he would give up his claim.

The last letter was from Penelope, offering her condolences and mentioning she and David had broken up. She told him he probably did not want to hear it, but he was a large part why; she had not given up on him. She hoped he would come to see her when he returned home.

Malcolm sat back and thought about his childhood. His relationship with his father had been rocky at best. He had always been tougher on Malcom than on his sister and expected much more of him. He now knew he was trying to harden him, to make him ready for life. But at the time he resented and hated him at times. His mother had always been there, telling him his father did love him, and providing him with comfort. He then surprised himself as he felt tears forming on his cheeks. He had thought he had prepared himself for her passing. Then he let them flow. After some time, he pulled himself together and went to his bathroom to freshen up.

Then he smiled, what to do about Penelope? Didn't she know when to give up? He did promise himself he would set her straight once and for all. But he had to smirk when he realized how much he did want to see her.

Deciding he would wait to answer everyone, he straightened himself up and headed for the mess hall.

Hoshi and Travis were sitting together at a table and saw Malcolm enter. Hoshi sensed that something was bothering him.

She thought of checking on him but knew how private he was and decided to let it go.

Besides, she and Travis had been given the afternoon off and were planning to take advantage of it with a little loving.

Hoshi had been thinking lately of how much she would like to have a baby. But that would have to wait.

She looked over at Travis. She loved him so much and smiled as she realized how they helped each other.

Not able to wait any longer, she whispered to Travis and they quickly disposed of their food and left.

Malcolm watched them go and smiled to himself. He definitely needed to visit Penelope.

Trip read over the letter for the umpteenth time, hoping it would provide him with an answer, but realized he was just making himself more depressed. Finally deciding he did need another perspective, he contacted Jon and asked if they could meet on a personal matter. Jon immediately invited him to his quarters.

After he had been told to enter, he sat down across from Jon, who surprised him by offering him a glass of his precious stock of Scotch Whiskey.

Taking a sip, he took the PADD from his pocket and handed it to Archer, "Here, read this for yourself, it will save me some time explaining."

He watched at Archer read it. His only reactions were a slight narrowing of his eyes at the beginning, and a slight raising of his eyebrows at the end.

He handed it back to Trip, "I'm sorry, Trip. I know this must have been devastating for you. But I am glad to hear she is all right."

"All right? She was raped! She has that bastard's baby in her! How is she all right?"

"I'm sorry, Trip, I just meant physically." He paused, "It sounds like you have made up your mind about the baby."

"What is there to think about? You think I want to raise the child of the man that raped my wife? To be reminded everyday of what happened?"

Archer said quietly, "It's Natalie's baby, too. She seems to feel differently about it."

"What the hell, are you actually thinking I should go along with it?"

"I think you are feeling guilty that you weren't there, that this is your fault."

Trip took a long drink and looked down. Then he raised his head, "The only reason Parker did this was because of me. Me."

Archer finished off his glass, "You aren't responsible for Parker's actions. You never did anything that justified what he became. Hell, he should have blamed me, I am the one that picked you."

He put his hand on Trip's shoulder, "Don't you think you should at least consider Natalie's feelings in this? If she believes she can love this baby, is it possible you could too? As I said, it is her baby, too."

"You might be right, Jon, but all I feel right now is hate and guilt."

"Just give it some time, Trip. Let it go for a while. Take time to get beyond the shock of it. You may make the same decision later, but you need to get past feeling guilty about it."

Trip finished his glass, "Maybe you're right, Jon. You are right that if Natalie wants this, I should give consideration to that. Maybe she needs this, to have something good come out of this."

He started to get up, "Thanks, Jon." He smirked, "And thanks for the Scotch."

"Anytime, Trip." He paused, "Whatever you decide, Trip, just know you have friends that support you. Don't shut us out."

Trip nodded and went out the door.

John had not only earned Jane's love; he had proved invaluable in getting the Administrative needs of the Foundation straightened out. Acquainting himself with all aspects of the Foundation, he had accompanied Jane to a meeting of the doctors working on the cure.

Jane was surprised when all of them appeared in person, even Edward.

She was also gratified to find that some progress had been made. The first decision they had made was to determine whether there was value in Edward's theory. In checking through the cases, they found that that no onset of the final stage had occurred before the start of puberty or after puberty had taken place. The next and more difficult step was to find a way to test if the final stage of the Syndrome was a result of the onset of puberty.

Although many victims and their families wanted to help, they were obviously reluctant to take a chance on hastening their child's death.

The opportunity finally came when a child suffering from Torrin also contracted another fatal disease. With only a short time to live, the parents agreed to let the doctors test their theory.

Everyone was gratified when the experiment appeared to confirm the hypothesis. After they induced puberty, the final stage was triggered.

With this evidence, everyone at the meeting decided to proceed on the assumption that it was possible Torrin's Syndrome was somehow tied to factors involved in puberty. They knew of course that even if what they had observed was true, it didn't necessarily mean that it caused the onset of the disease itself. To hedge their bets, the team of Dr. Patel and Dr. Baxter continued to look for other possibilities.

Everyone was also pleased that there were enough funds to move forward, but they all realized that they needed to keep up their efforts.

They were all sobered however, when they also faced the fact that Torrin was still claiming victims, with new cases reported daily.

With the third anniversary of the attack on Earth less than a month away, twelve more Earth ships joined the fleet, along with two additional Andorian ships, and three Tellarite ships. The same day also brought the news that intelligence sources warned of a new Romulan attack fleet. It also contained the stunning news that the Praetor himself would take part in the attack.

T'Pau strode down the halls of Council Building. She had just finished up a meeting of the War Committee. The Finance Committee had reported that funds were getting dangerously low. Although the vote had ended up being unanimous with everyone realizing the necessity to acquire another 5 trillion Vulcan dollars, it had only been after an acrimonious debate. There was no doubt the war was causing hardships on Andoria and Tellar. Perhaps she needed to talk with President Samuels to see if there was anything they could do to help. The real problem was that it did not appear the war would end soon; at least if you assumed an Alliance victory. The meeting had also discussed the latest intelligence telling of a new attack. With the weakened status of the fleet, there was tremendous concern for its future. It was generally agreed that it would likely be necessary to resort to some type of guerilla warfare rather than taking the Romulan Fleet on. Such tactics though would likely subject the home planets to attack. Although the prospect had always been there, the possibility of an Alliance defeat was becoming more of a probable outcome.

Each of the planets were preparing for a last-ditch stand, activating any ships they could. Even she had to reluctantly reactivate many of the ships destined to be destroyed.

On Andoria, General Thrang and the Queen were discussing the same concerns facing T'Pau. They were also discussing how they could raise their portion of the funds requested. Already there were voices being raised to bring the Andorian ships home, to use them for a last defense of Andoria. The measures needed to raise new funds would exacerbate the situation and give support to those who wished to leave the Alliance.

Fortunately, the Imperial Guard itself was standing fast. To them it was a matter of honor. To break their word, to abandon the Alliance, would be a disgrace.

They had found an ally in Jhamel, who had emerged as a champion of the war, speaking out against those who considered what she felt was treason, a stab in the back of her husband and the other Andorian soldiers. Her voice carried considerable weight.

Although the Queen still could not explain how or why, she was getting an increased sense of destiny, that centered now on Archer and the Praetor. Her sense was that the final outcome was at hand.

On Tellar, another woman was proving to be a strong voice for the Alliance. Margot was resolved that her husband's sacrifice would not be in vain. She also talked of the contribution of the Tellarites in winning the previous battle. In this she was not alone. Although the tremendous loss of life brought deep sadness, their sacrifice also provided a great sense of pride for the Tellarites.

Natalie Tucker had been staring at the PADD for several minutes, wondering what it would contain. It has taken some time for Trip to respond. Then chiding herself for waiting. Whatever it said, she would need to live with. She knew how difficult this must have been for Trip.

 _Natalie,_

 _I am sorry I have taken so much time to answer. This has been very difficult for me. Even as I say that I feel selfish, knowing what you had to suffer. Perhaps the deepest pain comes from that I cannot be with you, to share our pain, to help each other._

 _I know that you told me not to feel guilty, but that is not something I can avoid. To have this happen, thinking that I could have prevented it, is tough to deal with. But your strength has enabled me to come to terms with it._

 _I know you are probably hoping I would get to the point, to answer you about the baby. I will not lie to you; my initial reaction was wondering how you could even ask me that. I could not imagine raising his baby as our own._

 _But then Jon reminded me that this baby is yours too. I came to realize that I could not hate someone that is a part of you. I have to admit it may be difficult for me, especially in the beginning, but I am absolutely sure this is what I want. I have no more doubts left._

 _I want us to raise this baby as our own, to provide it with all the love she deserves._

 _I am so proud of you, Natalie. Proud of your strength and your bravery. Proud of you for saving your life and the life of our son._

 _Give my love to Charlie and tell him his father thinks of him each day and can't wait to hold him again._

 _I love you, Natalie. It is that love that carries me forward._

 _Trip_

Natalie clutched the PADD to her chest as tears cascaded down her face.

Charlie come over concerned. "Are you all right, Mommy? Why are you crying?"

Wiping her eyes, she smiled at him, "These are cries of joy, Charlie. Daddy sends you his love."

As Charlie smiled, she picked him up and put him in her lap. "Charlie, I have some big news for you. You are going to have a baby sister."

Charlie's eyes grew big as saucers, "That's neat." Then he added seriously as Natalie smiled, "Does Daddy know?"

Vandor, Tabrina, Ruddick, and Solon were meeting for the last time before the launch. Gregor and his fleet had arrived, strongly declaring their allegiance to the Praetor and to the ones he selected to rule in his stead. The weakened Senate also pledged their support.

Vandor spoke, "Well, the time has come. I leave the Empire in your capable hands."

Solon answered, "We will make you proud." He hesitated, "But a part of me wishes I were going with you to fight at your side."

Vandor smiled, "I would wish that as well, but you are needed here."

Tabrina, reached out and surprised Vandor by laying her hand on his arm, "We will hold your place, knowing you will return victorious." She hesitated and then surprised them all by saying, "I will miss you; I personally will await your return."

Vandor was taken aback at what she might mean, but then recovered. "I have no doubt you will make me proud." He then smiled and looked into Tabrina's eyes, "If I needed any extra incentive to return quickly, you have provided it."

All of them were surprised to see a small blush from Tabrina.

Vandor then produced a bottle of Romulan Ale and they all raised their glasses, "Death to the Alliance, Death to Jonathan Archer. Long live the Praetor, long live the Empire."

The next morning, the three hundred ships of the Praetor's fleet, the Pride of the Empire, began the journey to its date with destiny.


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N Well, for the second time I have no reviewers to thank. These characters belong to Paramount.**

 **Some parts of this chapter are close to an M rating for sexual content. Nothing too graphic.**

Archer and T'Pol found their seats, noting the rest of the War Council were all present.

Archer began, "Good morning, everyone. Today's meeting is obviously to determine what should be done about the fact that a fleet of 300 ships is heading our way, with the Praetor himself in command. Even with the recent additions of ships we are badly outnumbered."

"As you know, the War Committee has recommended that we need to become a guerilla force, attempting to fight a war of attrition. Although I am reluctant to adopt a strategy that will mean a prolonged war, I am presenting it as a possible plan of action. It would be highly dangerous to attempt to take the fleet on directly."

He went on, "Ambassador Soval told me that he has information that could provide an alternate solution."

He turned to Soval, "Ambassador?"

Soval took out a PADD and laid it on the table in front of him. "This PADD contains the information gleaned from all possible intelligence sources. I enlisted the help of Captain T'Pol and Captain Torki in searching through this material. Apparently, there is a struggle going on in the Empire for power. Although it appears that the current Praetor has managed to retain control, there are still those who do not share his views. It seems there is a movement in the Empire that believes they should negotiate and put an end to the war in order to concentrate on preserving the Empire."

"We believe that this struggle is what has prompted the Praetor to take command personally of the fleet. All indications point to the fact that these ships are the key to who will ultimately hold the throne."

"Before we commit ourselves to a specific plan of dealing with the fleet, we should consider a plan to kill the Praetor. Some of our sources indicate that a certain Tribune Ruddick, who is the normal commander of this fleet, has his own political aspirations."

"Of course, it is possible we are reading too much into all this, but I believe enough evidence exists that it would be prudent to at least try this. If it fails, we can still fall back on other strategies."

Shran stared at him, "You are saying that if we could kill the Praetor, it is possible the fleet will just go home?"

"That is our belief."

Shran turned to Archer, "What do you think about this, Admiral?"

Archer sat up, "After Soval informed me about this possibility, I have discussed it at length with Captain T'Pol. Although I share your skepticism, I think it is worth a shot. Even if it does not have the desired effect, it would be of value to kill the Praetor. And as Soval has pointed out, we still can fall back on alternate plans."

Frag spoke up, "Assuming this is true, and I share General Shran's concerns, how would we go about killing him? Throw the entire fleet at one ship? We don't even know what ship he is on. And even if we did, our losses would leave us in a worse situation than we are now."

Archer answered, "Although I agree that a major hurdle is that we may not know where he is, there is a way of risking none of our ships."

Everyone except T'Pol stared at him. Finally, Shran found his voice, saying sarcastically, "This I have to hear, do you have another magic trick from the future?"

Archer smiled, "Actually I have." The others all began to talk at once as Shran just shook his head.

Archer went on, "This one however was originally given to the Suliban. We have a ship that can cloak."

When they had recovered, Frag spoke up, "Since Romulans also use cloaking, isn't it possible they have the means to detect this ship."

"I suppose it is possible, but as I stated the ship was designed in the future and thus uses technology that I believe is far different than anything the Romulans use. In fact, we have never been able to figure out how it does work, and thus have never been able to replicate it."

Shran now seriously, "So your plan is to fly right up to the Praetor's ship? What kind of weapons does it have?"

"Unfortunately, it is not armed. I was planning on using explosives. Although I am not sure if it could carry enough power to be able to destroy a Starship. It's not much larger than a normal shuttle."

Shran went on, "Since we actually seem to be considering this fantasy, there is an explosive the Imperial Guard has developed that would certainly do the job. However, it is very volatile and it would take all that the ship could hold. I do not believe you could attach it to the Praetor's ship without being detected."

Archer continued, "I have had to reluctantly come to the conclusion that we would have to use the ship itself to be the bomb and self-destruct it next to the ship. Would your explosive destroy the ship under those circumstances?"

"Without doubt. We do have a supply on Anter 7 which is about a week from here. As I say it Is very difficult to deal with and very few Andorians have been trained on its usage. Fortunately, one of them is serving on the _Vernet_ , Commander Ronel."

Archer nodded, "We would also need a pilot." Frowning, "Lieutenant Mayweather has had experience with it."

Soval interjected, "Are we talking about a suicide mission?"

Archer, sadly, "I am afraid…"

T'Pol spoke for the first time, "Admiral, if I may, after we talked about this, I got together with Commander Tucker and we believe we have determined a way to spare the crew without endangering the mission. We could set up a timer to set off the explosive. Then after starting the timer, they could hit a button on a communication device that would alert the Transporter to automatically transport them out. The time could be set for as short a time as 30 seconds."

Shran considered that and said, "That's cutting it pretty close, but I agree we wouldn't want there to be any significant time that the craft is unmanned and allow something to happen that could affect the explosion."

Frag, who had been listening intently, "I do not want to be, as the humans say, a wet blanket, but I must point out that even if all this is possible, we do not know what ship the Praetor is on. And unless you have more future ships we don't know about; we will have only one try."

Archer looked at T'Pol who returned his gaze. "Ambassador Soval and Captain T'Pol have indicated they have a plan to accomplish that. From what I have heard of it, I am opposed to it, but agree it should be presented to the council."

T'Pol looked at him a little longer, than turned to the group. "Thank you, Admiral. Before I discuss the plan itself, I want to refer to the recent developments that have occurred due to work done by a scientific team created from the four planets. They have found a way to be able to detect a communication signal through the Romulan shields. They also believe we can fix on such a signal with a Transporter. We do not however, have the capability to scan through their shields."

Looking again at Archer, she turned back and continued, "When their fleet arrives and presumably drops out of warp, I will use an unarmed shuttle to travel to their fleet. I will inform them that I need to see the Praetor on vital business. If I do get to see him, I will tell him that the majority of the council wish to surrender to save further bloodshed, but the Admiral is standing in our way. If he agrees to our terms, I will assure him we will get him out of the way."

"Once I am on the ship with the Praetor, I will send a signal that will enable you to locate the ship. Then the Suliban ship will be sent to destroy it."

Everyone sat silently, a little stunned, then Shran broke the silence, "I admire your courage, but I am afraid this plan has so many holes in it, a Sartog could walk through them. For example, it is almost certain you will be scanned and searched. They will find your signaling device."

T'Pol answered, "When I worked for the Minister of Security, we made use of a communication device that scanners will not detect and is contained in an article of clothing."

"What article of clothing? They may have you change clothes."

T'Pol, blushing slightly, "That is true but it is hoped this would be one they would leave with me. It is a pair of panties."

Shran had to stifle a chuckle when he saw Archer glaring at him, "Well, we would hope they would do so." Then turning serious, "How about the signal itself? Won't they detect it?"

"It is sent on a very rare sequence of frequencies that are not usually monitored. It also changes frequencies constantly with a very short burst. We will have to modify our sensors to match this pattern to recognize the signal."

"If after I send the message, I discover the Praetor is leaving the ship, I will resend the message and the mission will be postponed until I signal again. Assuming I don't call it off, when the Suliban ship is in position, it will send a signal and then wait five minutes to allow time for me to be transported out."

Shran interrupted, "Since we agreed that we should keep the original timer down to 30 seconds, isn't it dangerous to give you five minutes?"

T'Pol answered, "The difference is that they are still on the ship and can set off the explosion immediately if something happens. However, if the time bothers you, we can certainly shorten it."

Archer broke in, "I think we can afford the five. I still have a problem with this idea. First of all, why must you be the one to do it? As a member of this Council, you are vital to this mission."

T'Pol gave Archer an accusing glare, warning him not to let his personal feelings interfere, "I am not selecting myself because I am noble and I have no ego to protect. I believe I am the one best suited for this task. First of all, I am Vulcan and thus it would make sense that I am doing it because it is the logical thing to do. The fact that I am Vulcan also makes me more able to resist persuasions they may use instead of allowing me to see the Praetor. There is also a belief among some species that Vulcans do not lie."

Ignoring Shran rolling his eyes, "Secondly, I am a woman and at least to some species, reasonably attractive." This time Shran smiled broadly and as she noticed it appeared Archer wanted to say something, she hurried on, "We know that the Praetor is a womanizer and thus it may aid in him wanting to see me as well as perhaps enabling me to keep his attention."

Trying to ignore the look on Archer's face, "Lastly, the fact that I am a member of this Council gives me more credibility and makes it more likely they will keep me alive."

With Archer struggling to hold his tongue, Soval commented, "Although I sense it may be difficult for all these events to work, unless someone can propose another plan, I suggest we move forward. We have just over a month before the Fleet arrives and we have a lot of work to do. We can continue to assess the idea and also continue to try to find another solution."

Frag added, "I agree. Captain T'Pol has made a convincing case that she is the one to perform this mission. I believe it has a possibility to succeed."

Shran leaned forward, "I also vote yes, though I hate to put such valuable personnel in danger. Individuals that are also my friends"

Archer, resignedly, "I still cannot believe there is not an alternative, but I agree we need to move forward while we look at alternatives."

He turned to Shran, "You and I should talk to Travis and Ronel."

Shran noddded, "I agree."

Archer went on, "T'Pol, you get with Trip and start working on the sensors and the Transporters." He then hesitated for a moment, "I just thought of something, both T'Pol and the others will be using the same Transporter in a tight time frame. I think we should bring Travis and Ronel back to the Transporter on _Columbia_ instead."

"That is logical, Admiral. Commander Tucker and I will begin immediately."

In the next few weeks, work proceeded on the plan. At the same time, an alternate plan of pursuing guerilla warfare was prepared in case the original plan failed to kill the Praetor or the fleet attacked anyway.

Even as steady progress was made on the plan to kill the Praetor, three individuals were very concerned about what is happening.

When Trip is brought up to speed by T'Pol, his concern for her well-being returns with a rush. Remembering her reaction the last time he attempted to prevent her from doing something dangerous, he went to the Admiral instead. He found that Archer more than shared his concerns, but had already been reminded by T'Pol of his promise that they would not let their personal feelings interfere with their professional lives; that she was logically the person for the job, and he could not let his love for her prevent him from making the correct command decision.

Hoshi was waiting in their quarters when Travis returned from his meeting with the Admiral and Shran. She was not sure why, but she had been nervous ever since they summoned him.

Trying to keep her voice light, "What did the Admiral and Shran want?"

Her apprehension rose when she saw Travis's reaction. She could tell it was not something she wanted to hear.

"I have been picked for an important mission. It is possible it could decide the course of the war."

Hoshi is stunned, what did they want him to do?

When Travis explained it to her, she had to fight not to show how it affected her. She knew she needed to be strong, that Jonathan would never put Travis in such danger unless he was the right man for the job. But as a wife, she wondered if someone else could handle it.

She was tempted to talk to the Admiral but reluctantly realized that Travis would never forgive her for trying to remove him from such a vital mission. In the end, she just reached out and held him to her.

The Praetor was in his quarters when the word came that they were in scanner range of the Alliance Fleet. He made his way to the bridge.

"Put me through to Tribune Ruddick."

When Ruddick's image appeared on the screen, "Report."

"The Alliance Fleet is waiting for us. We will reach them in approximately four hours."

"Excellent. We will drop out of warp and you will attempt to contact them and order them to surrender. Tell them their lives will be spared if they also surrender the members of the War Council. I doubt if they will confront us directly. If they do break up and go to warp, the fleet will concentrate on _Enterprise_."

"Understood."

As the Romulan fleet approached, T'Pol and Archer were in the Shuttle bay, standing next to Shuttle One.

Archer spoke first, "Well, this is it. I know you were not pleased with me appearing to allow my emotions to interfere with my responsibilities. But I need to tell you that I love you and need you to return to me."

She reached out and touched his arm, "I love you as well."

Then, not caring who was watching, Archer took her in his arms and kissed her.

As soon as the Romulan Fleet came out of warp, an unarmed shuttle moved away from the Allied Fleet. As it neared the Romulans it was scanned determining it was apparently unarmed and contained one Vulcan life sign. It was hailed from the Romulan ship _Vancar_.

"This is the Romulan ship _Vancar_ , Identify yourself."

"I am Captain T'Pol of the Starship _Enterprise_ ; I have vital information for the Praetor. It is imperative that I meet with him at once."

Captain Salcar of the _Vancar_ was stunned by the reply. What was T'Pol, a member of the War Council doing alone in a shuttle, endangering her life.

Deciding to err on the side of caution he ordered T'Pol to stay where she was. He then told his communications officer to contact the Praetor.

Vandor was on the bridge when the message came through. He was stunned. Captain T'Pol? He suddenly realized his obsession with her had never left him. But he needed to be careful. Perhaps she was on a suicide mission.

He answered back, "Beam her aboard your ship, then destroy the Shuttle. Keep her in the Reman section and have her searched thoroughly. I don't want her mistreated. Treat her with dignity and be sure she is searched by a woman. Let me know when the search is completed."

T'Pol felt herself dematerialize and arrived in a transporter room.

Meanwhile, aboard _Enterprise_ , Archer's heart stopped when he saw the shuttle destroyed. Ensign Hansen quickly assured him T'Pol was no longer on board.

Taking a breath, "Well, now I guess we just wait."

Two Remans armed with disruptors ordered T'Pol to walk with them. She was taken down a hall to what appeared to be a room similar to sickbay. The guards ushered into the room then took up posts outside.

A Reman woman approached her, "I am Doctor Knat, my orders are to search you. She motioned her over by one of the beds and told her, "Please remove all your clothing."

As T'Pol stripped, Knat took each article of clothing and scanned it before she laid it down. T'Pol held her breath when she took her panties, but the scanner apparently didn't discover anything.

The Reman then scanned every inch of her body. Although it could have seemed intrusive, Knat acted professionally at all times. When she was done, she told T'Pol she could get dressed.

When she was dressed, Knat signaled for the two guards and they escorted her out the door and down the hall to another room that contained a desk and a couple chairs. Placing her in one of the chairs, the guards stood by the door.

It wasn't long before a uniformed Reman entered and sat behind the desk.

"Captain T'Pol, is it?"

T'Pol nodded.

"My name is Commander Trak, I understand you have information for the Praetor?" When T'Pol nodded again, he went on, "The Praetor has asked that the information be given to me and I will see that he gets it."

"Thank you, but I will only discuss this with the Praetor personally."

Inwardly, Trak was seething, if it was up to him, he would teach this arrogant Vulcan a lesson. Who did she think she was, arriving unarmed, expecting to be taken to the Praetor? But he had specific orders, to try to get some information from her if possible, but treat her with respect.

"You can understand our wondering what could be so important as to bring you here alone. Could you at least give me an idea of what your information is about?"

"You have my word that it is something that will be of great interest to the Praetor. Information that could enable him to have an immediate effect on the future of the war. That is all I have to say."

Trak continued to try to get more out of her, but it was apparent she had meant what she said.

Resignedly, he gave up and told her to wait there. He then contacted Captain Salcar.

Salcar communicated with the Praetor who told him to have her transported to his ship.

When T'Pol rematerialized, she wondered if she was on the Praetor's ship. She decided she needed more proof before she sent the signal.

Expecting to be met by a Reman, even her Vulcan control could not contain her amazement when she saw a man approaching. Now she felt she knew why the Romulans wanted their identities to be kept secret and what had happened to those that had been forced from Vulcan.

The Romulan soldier had to smirk as he saw the look on the Vulcan's face. Removing a hand disruptor from his holster, he came up to T'Pol.

Recovering her equilibrium, T'Pol stepped out of the chamber.

Motioning with the gun, "This way, the Praetor's waiting."

Deciding she would take a chance this was his ship; she slid a hand in her pocked and used her fingers to enter a code onto the panties through the cloth of the pocket.

Aboard _Enterprise,_ it was nearing the end of Alpha shift, but no one was moving. Suddenly, Hoshi exclaimed excitedly, "It's T'Pol, I have a signal!"

Archer jumped up, "Lock in on the coordinates and send them to Travis."

Hoshi quickly worked her console, "I have them, Sir." Then she turned to him, "May I deliver them, Admiral?"

Archer's face softened, "All right, but make it quick."

Hoshi said, "Thank you, Sir," as she rushed out the door.

When she arrived in the Cargo bay, she quickly gave the PADD containing the coordinates to Ronel and moved up to Travis. "Take care. Come back to me." She then gave him a passionate kiss as Ronel smiled behind him. She stepped back and said, "I love you."

Travis smiled and answered, "I love you, too."

Ronel, already in the craft, called out, "Okay that's enough, we have a mission to complete," but his smile belied the words.

Travis quickly turned and took his place. He preceded to cloak the vessel and when Hoshi had left, opened the doors of the bay and the Suliban Ship began its journey.

Vandor sat on a couch in his quarters, waiting impatiently. When the knock came, he quickly told them to enter. T'Pol came in first with the Guard holding the gun behind her.

Vandor took a breath, she was even more beautiful in person. He let his eyes wander over her, "Ah, here she is." Gesturing for her to sit in a chair across from him, he took the gun from the Guard and dismissed him. T'Pol set elegantly in the chair and crossed her legs.

She spoke first, "I do not believe the weapon will be necessary. I have come to discuss some important matters with you."

Vandor smiled, "Why don't I keep it just in case; we are well aware of your former service in the Minister of Security and your martial abilities."

"You flatter me, that was some time ago."

"In any case, there was no exaggeration as to your beauty, you are quite stunning."

T'Pol inclined her head but showed no other reaction.

He went on, "Well, down to business. What possible reason do you have to desert your post and betray the Alliance?"

"Rather than betray them, I believe I am trying to save them from taking a highly illogical, suicidal action."

"I am listening."

"I believe that Admiral Archer is proposing an action that will cost thousands of unnecessary deaths."

"From what I have seen, he has proven to be an extraordinary adversary. His victories and ability to avoid death are well known."

"Yes, he has managed to survive up to this time, but I am afraid he is beginning to believe all the praise he has received. It should be readily apparent to him that we have no hope against the force you have brought against us. The logical choice is to end the war with no further bloodshed."

"Ah yes, Vulcan logic. What do the others think?"

"They feel as I do. But they will never go against the Admiral. The faith they have in the man to do the impossible is remarkable."

"So, what do you propose?"

"I have arranged for Admiral Archer to be assassinated. Once I have your word that you will allow the fleet to surrender, I will tell you how to send the message that will have them take action."

The Praetor stared at her, "You would help us kill Jonathan Archer? You have served with him for many years, you even followed him into the expanse."

"I do not do so without regret. I admire him greatly. But it has become apparent that he will never surrender. I must do what is necessary for the common good. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one."

"What of you? Did you expect to live?"

"I knew of course of your obsession with secrecy. I knew I was undoubtedly going to my death. Although, now that I know you are apparently some relative of Vulcans, I have some hope I can be of some future use to you."

Leering at her, "Yes, I definitely believe you could be of use. I do still have a question though. What did you tell Archer you were doing? You could not hope to leave undetected."

T'Pol leaned forward and looked into his eyes, "I told him I would make up a story to get close to you, seduce you, and then kill you."

Vandor stared for a moment and then burst into laughter, "You really are quite amazing. Now how am I to know which story is the truth?" After a moment, "You are very different than any Vulcan I know of."

"You may believe whatever story you wish, but it would be illogical for me to warn you what I planned to do. As far as being different, you must remember I have lived among humans for a long period of time."

They both turned when there was a knock on the door. When told to enter the Guard came in and whispered something to the Praetor. He nodded and told the Guard to wait outside.

"Well, I must admit, I do not know what to think. I am still not sure I trust anything you are saying."

He started to get to his feet, "In any case, it will have to wait, I have a meeting to attend on another ship. I am afraid you will have to wait in the brig."

T'Pol realized she had to think fast. She didn't want to send the signal now. The Suliban ship had to be getting close. She began to roam her hands down her sides over her thighs.

"Are you sure you need to leave? When I first came aboard _Enterprise_ , one thing that amazed and bothered me was how the humans looked at me. They would not even try to hide that they were looking over my body, indicating sexual interest. I also discovered their fascination with my breasts."

She moved her hands up and placed them under her breasts, lifting them. "After a while, I no longer minded their looks and finally decided I would like to be part of the experience."

Vandor stared at her, his eyes darkening, "You had sex with humans?"

"Yes, it was… pleasurable. The only problem was that they could not dominate me as a male Vulcan would because I am stronger than they are. My fantasy became to find a being with the strength of a Vulcan that would be as emotional as a human." She looked up at him, "I believe I have found such a being."

Vandor, still staring, "You mean, a Romulan?"

"Exactly." She stretched sensuously, "Are you sure you need to leave? I would like to prove to you I can be of use to you."

"Tempting, but we both know, it would give you the opportunity to kill me."

Seductively, "You could always restrain me. I have found it can add to my excitement."

Vandor reached out to caress her face as she leaned into it. He then moved down and caressed a breast.

Breathing a little heavy, "Perhaps you are right, I should see if you can be of use to the Empire. They can have the meeting without me."

"Guard!" When he entered, "Go to the infirmary and bring back some restraints. And tell the others I have other business."

"Restraints?"

"You heard me. And be quick about it."

Smirking at T'Pol, "Of course, at once."

T'Pol looked at him, "How about you, Praetor, what part of a woman's body are you especially attracted to?"

Smiling, "I agree with the humans, your breasts are quite impressive. But I also like a woman's ass."

T'Pol rose and turned her back to him, "Do you find favor with mine?"

Carefully reaching out and keeping the gun out of reach, he gently squeezed it, "Yes, I find it quite exquisite."

The Guard knocked and is admitted. The Praetor gestured toward the bedroom, "Tie her hands to the bed in there."

With the Guard leading the way and Vandor following with the gun, T'Pol was led into the bedroom and soon found herself tied to the bed.

Vandor turned to the guard, "Leave us." The guard did so, but not without leering down at her.

Vandor laid down the gun and stood over her. "Well, now let's see if the goods live up to the packaging."

He leaned over and began to unbutton her uniform top. T'Pol, hiding her disgust, "Slowly, the humans have taught me the virtue of patience. It makes the ending so much more passionate."

He finished unbuttoning her top but cannot slip if off because of the restraints. He took out his knife and began to cut it away. As it came off her bra is revealed with her breasts overflowing it. He then reached under her and slowly undid her bra. As it came free, he gawked at her breasts and slowly rubbed her nipple between his forefinger and thumb as T'Pol forced herself to moan and pushed her breast up against his hand.

She called out, hoping to keep him from going further for a time, "Yes, please touch me more, your hands excite me so." But to her chagrin he soon removed his hands.

"All in good time, but now I want to see the rest." He grabbed the top of her uniform pants and pulled them down revealing her panties. Then he proceeded to pull her panties off and tossed them on the floor. T'Pol eyes followed the arc of the panties in the air. She wondered what Jonathan would think when her panties are transported back without her.

Thinking fast, "There is one more thing I learned from the humans that adds greatly to my excitement and is quite agreeable to the male also."

"You talk too much. I think you are ready now."

"If you wish, but if you do believe that, this will be of interest to you. In addition to restraining me, the humans also wished to prevent me from talking. This also mutes the moans and screams and increases the feeling of domination by the male and humiliation of the female. The humiliation is accentuated by using the woman's own panties to silence her."

"Your panties!" Shaking his head, "I look forward to meeting these Humans, they seem to be an interesting species." Shrugging, "Why not?" He picked up the panties and stuffed them in her mouth. T'Pol mumbled as she tried to speak. He smiled, "I can see why that is appealing."

"And now, if you have no more objections," he laughed when she tried to speak, "I think we will proceed."

He stepped to the end of the bed and began to remove his clothes.

Travis turned to Ronel, "We have reached the coordinates, is everything ready?"

"Yes, you can send the signal to bring Captain T'Pol to safety."

Travis pushed a button on the communicator.

"There, now we'll give them their five minutes. Is the timer set?"

"I am not going to use the timer." Travis stared at him increduously. "I will not risk Andoria's future to a mechanical device. After you leave, I will set the charge off manually."

"There is no need for that…" Seeing the determined look on Ronel's face, "All right, but if something really goes wrong, you may need my help. We're in this together."

Ronel shrugged, "If you wish. How much time is left?"

Travis looked at his watch, "About three minutes."

"It has been an honor to work with you, Lieutenant. Perhaps I have underestimated humans."

He pointed toward a bag, "Hand me that bag."

As Travis turned, Ronel gave him a chop on the neck, knocking him out. As he lifted him and put him in a chair, "You surprise me human, but there is no need for you to die. You have done your job and now it is time for me to do mine. Besides," taking a bottle from his tunic, he takes out a knife and cuts his arm, letting his blood flow into the bottle, "You must take this back so my blood can be spread on the Wall of Warriors."

He placed the bottle in Travis's pocket and the communicator on his chest. Checking his watch, he reached down and pushed the button. Travis immediately transported out. Turning back to a switch on the explosives, he placed his hand on it, "For Andoria and my Queen." He flipped the switch.

Vandor, now naked, climbed onto the bed. "I admit I have thought of this moment since I was first shown your picture. I must warn you it is likely to become very physical."

At that moment, T'Pol vanished.

Vandor screamed in frustration, "You bitch! You'll pay for this! I'll destroy every damn ship in your miserable fleet." He paced his quarters, swinging his arms, "I'll make it so everyone will curse your name."

He headed toward the door but then suddenly remembered he was naked. Picking up his clothes and starting to dress, he managed to regain control of himself. His face is now marked with a cruel smile. "You better hope, my lovely, I never get my hands on you again."

He again headed for the door, calling for the guard when the ship was rocked by a huge explosion and the ceiling beams fell on him crushing him under them. Lying on the floor, feeling his life ebb away, coming face to face with his destiny; his last thought was, 'How?'

Hoshi watched, as not for the first time, Archer got up from his chair and paced around the bridge. She understood how he felt. The Suliban ship should have reached its destination by now. It was deeply frustrating to have to just wait and not be able to do anything. The view screen showed the Romulan fleet spread out before them.

Suddenly, a huge explosion occurred on the screen, as a Romulan ship was destroyed.

Archer turned to Hoshi, "They did it! By God, they got it done." Then he turned back to his chair, "But what about our people?"

Hitting a button on his chair, "This is Admiral Archer, do we have Captain T'Pol?"

In the Transporter room, Ensign Manual Santos was working the controls as two male MACO's stood by with phasers drawn.

Their eyes widened in shock as T'Pol materialized on the pad, completely naked, with her panties in her mouth. All of them just stared, their mouths agape. T'Pol calmly got to her feet, turned her back, took her panties from her mouth and put them on; then covering her breasts with one arm, she addressed one of the MACOs.

"Ensign Warner, would you please hand me an EV suit from the locker?"

Warner snapped out of his trance and turned his head away stammering, "Yes, Sir, at once, Sir."

The others also turned away, embarrassed at their actions. Just then, Archer's voice came over the intercom. Still covering her breasts with one arm, she announced, "I will get that."

Hitting the button, "T'Pol here, Admiral."

Archer, obviously relieved, "Thank God, are you alright?"

"I am fine, Admiral."

"Good, get up here as soon as you can, we're still waiting for a reaction."

"Understood, on my way."

Turning, she took the EV suit from Warner, who handed it back with his eyes averted. She quickly put it on, saying, "You may look now."

Everyone turned back, still acting a little embarrassed, not looking directly at her.

T'Pol continued, "Thank you for your assistance." Looking directly at them, she said pointedly, "I would appreciate it if what occurred her would go no further."

Warner raised his eyes to meet hers, "Of course, Captain." Looking at the others, "We have forgotten it already." The others nodded in agreement.

Heading for the door, "Thank you."

After she left, they all shook their heads. Santos smiled broadly, "I may have officially forgot it, but I will never forget it!" The others nodded and smiled back as they went back to work.

After talking to T'Pol, Archer contacted _Columbia_ and discovered that they had only retrieved Travis. He was unconscious but appeared just to be knocked out. They had taken him to Sickbay. They would let him know as soon as Travis awoke, to see what happened with Commander Ronel.

Archer contacted Shran to let him know what the situation was. He then turned to Hoshi. "I know you want to go to him, but it sounds like he is going to be all right and I need you here."

Hoshi nodded, "It's all right, Sir, he's in good hands." She hesitated, "Could I at least talk to him when he wakes up?"

Archer smiled, "Depending on the situation, that should be okay."

"Thank you, Sir."

Archer looked back at the view screen, wondering what was going on aboard the Romulan ships.


End file.
